module 9
When There Aren't Any
When there are not any — auditing your ten-minute radius, suburbs, night shifts, no-money options, and starting one where none exists.
10 articles
- 1
Auditing your ten-minute radius
You probably haven't actually checked whether there's anywhere nearby to just sit — so here's how to look.
- 2
The suburb problem
You haven't been doing it wrong. The map you were handed was drawn without a place to land.
- 3
Rural third places
You don't need a city block to have somewhere to go. You need to find the hour.
- 4
Starting one where none exists
A guide for when you've searched your neighborhood and come up empty — and the urge to "just build it yourself" starts whispering.
- 5
The standing open hour
A plan is a fragile thing. An hour held open is something else entirely.
- 6
Asking a business to host you
When there's no third place nearby, sometimes the answer is a simple conversation with a business that has empty chairs.
- 7
Third places for people who work nights
You can't join a club that meets at seven. So look for what's open at four.
- 8
Third places without money
The oldest gathering places never charged admission — and some of the best ones still don't.
- 9
Accessibility, and who gets left out
The door may be open, but that doesn't mean it's open to you — and that gap is the whole story.
- 10
Parenting, caregiving, and the time you don't have
When you can't free up an evening, look at the minutes you already have.
