Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash
Audio By Carbonatix
Ever since corporate America decided to drag people, kicking and screaming, back to a greige office made especially miserable by the uncomfortable glow of fluorescent lighting and a coworker fueled by an obsessive, high-protein diet, third spaces have grown in popularity.
A third space, coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenberg, is a home away from home and an escape from the office. It’s a space for building community and connection, and Oldenburg argued that it’s essential to human happiness. He’s probably right.
According to Oldenberg, there are seven general rules for a third space. In brief, a third space requires no invitation, brings a sense of belonging, is conveniently located, is not expensive (with no implied caste system), has a rotational roster of regulars, welcomes conversation (including gossip) and laughter is plentiful. Sounds delightful.
So, as much as we love libraries, they’re ruled out here. Coffee shops are the most obvious third spaces, so you’ll find a couple below, but that’s well understood at this point, and you don’t need to read up on an exhaustive list of things you already know. Plus, the culture editor said we needed to be creative.
Here are some of the best third spaces in North Texas:
Dallas Circus Center
2355 W. Northwest Highway
A common third space is a gym, and while that’s all fine and dandy, why lug around barbells when you can work your biceps swinging from the ceiling? The Dallas Circus Center is beginner-friendly, has a jam-packed schedule and will run you less than a Uptown mat pilates club membership. Plus, it’s much harder to isolate by way of headphones in a 10-person class where at least one person is airborne at all times. Give it a try.
Dallas Makerspace
1825 Monetary Ln #104, Carrollton
Do you crave the rich smell of freshly sliced pine? If so, we have the place for you. Dallas Markerspace is for the city-dwelling crafters who have no garage to make a mess in. The nonprofit workspace functions as a 24/7 craftbarn for engineers, woodworkers, ceramists and whatever else you could possibly think of. Members who pay their monthly dues have access to all the shop’s tools, which are many. And if you’re not ready to open shop in the space, they host a plethora of affordable classes ranging from laser engraving on wood to fine metal pouring to glass blowing. And if you’re really looking to just dip your toe in the water, they also throw potluck movie nights.
Top Ten Records
338 Jefferson Blvd.
There’s always something fun happening at Dallas’ oldest record store. Music thrives here most, but the nonprofit shop has built a reputation for bringing Dallas together through art, pop culture and community-minded events. Love talking your way through a movie? They have a monthly movie screening series for that. Want to test your new material on an intimate open mic? Be there on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. Free prizes are offered at their bimonthly trivia nights.
Desiree Gutierrez
Dallas Animal Services
1818 N. Westmoreland Road
You knew it was coming, but we’d be remiss not to include a third space on our list without throwing in a volunteer opportunity, and there is no better than Dallas Animal Services. Walk some dogs, play with some kittens and meet some friends while you’re at it. The shelter runs on volunteers, many of whom are frequent flyers. So if you’re tired of shelling out $7 for a fancy pourover, make your way to the Dallas Animal Services shelter, or any shelter for that matter, and make some friends completely for free. On the bright side, about half of the living creatures you might meet at this third space make great listeners and offer limited critical feedback.
Elmwood Farm
1014 Nolte Drive
Touch grass, literally. Elmwood Farm is a one-acre plot tucked into North Oak Cliff. The property welcomes its members, who pay a small monthly fee, to treat the farm as their own backyard, and it’s got some good landscaping. The farm also hosts community events, like massive farm dinners, classes about all things horticulture and even a yearly music festival. If your Hinge profile says you’re outdoorsy (true or not), this is your chance to go get down and dirty on the farm.
Halcyon
2900 Greenville Ave.
This Lower Greenville gem will make you feel less like you’re in a coffee shop and more like you’re in the New York City loft you fantasized about burrowing into as a kid. Halcyon doesn’t just serve up lattes. There’s a full menu with comfort favorites like a sausage biscuit and fried chicken with waffles. The best part is that it’s open late (10 p.m. on weeknights, 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays), and it has a full-service bar, so you can go from a shot of espresso to an espresso martini without having to face the sticky floors and shoulder-to-shoulder maze of a regular bar. Don’t miss their special events like social mixers, movie marathons and drag shows, either.
Tim Cox
Beyond the Bar Bottleshop
101 S. Sherman St., Richardson
If you enjoy the social vibrancy of a bar but want to de-center alcohol from making new connections, you’re in luck. This self-proclaimed “dry January HQ” offers the atmosphere of a bar without the regret or hangxiety the next morning. Open from noon to 7 p.m. most days, the Richardson outpost frequently hosts pop-up community events, but if you don’t need the liquid courage anyway, you’re bound to make a friend here on a random Thursday.
Texas Theatre
231 Jefferson Blvd.
A location with implied rules of silence doesn’t sound like the place to meet people, and you’d be right at any other movie theater, but this one is different. The Texas, which is the location of Lee Harvey Oswald’s arrest, is one of the more obscure cinemas in the city, showing movies you’ll probably never see anywhere else. The theatre has devoted fans and frequent flyers who regularly stop by the bar well before a movie, and probably swing back by after it ends. Everyone knows everyone at the theater, which makes it a great occasional music venue. Go enough times, and you’ll begin to recognize all the city’s movie buffs. And with no assigned seating, bold friendliness is welcomed.
The Meteor
1950 Hi Line Drive
All right, all right, we said we wouldn’t include a lot of coffee shops, but this one is different. First of all, it’s open until 11 o’clock, a rarity in this city. Second of all, The Meteor hosts a million and one events a month. Trivia, happy hours, speed dating — you name it, they’re doing it. With a good kitchen that’s also open late, it’s a great spot to meet and mingle. It has two rooms: one ideal for wining and dining, and a swankier room with a layout that lends itself to cozy conversation.
Anisha Holla
