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Mount Vernon’s restaurants, cafés and public facilities are increasingly serving a second purpose: informal workplaces where residents can avoid a commute, connect with others and work remotely.
The trend aligns with a placemaking study conducted in early 2024. As new developments move forward, officials have prioritized smaller programmed spaces with seating, shade and lighting to make the area more welcoming to pedestrians. Murals and other artistic and cultural features are also intended to strengthen the corridor’s identity and attract visitors.
Together, those elements support the growing idea of a “third place”—a gathering spot separate from home and the traditional workplace.
In the Mount Vernon area, remote workers have set up at businesses including McAlister’s Deli, Stupid Good BBQ, Hollin Hall Pastry Shop, Panera, El Fogon Taqueria and Dave & Buster’s. Starbucks locations along Richmond Highway have long filled a similar role, with laptop users regularly occupying their tables.
The rebuilt Mount Vernon Rec Center has joined that list. Its open lobby provides tables, electrical outlets and Wi-Fi near the pool and skating rink, allowing people to work while others use the facility.
Where the third-place idea began
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg popularized the concept in his late-1980s book, The Great Good Place. He described third places as informal gathering spots—including cafés, bars and bookstores—that contribute to community life, democratic participation and social vitality.
Oldenburg distinguished these settings from the “first place,” or home, and the “second place,” or work. He argued that a genuine third place should offer neutral ground, welcome strangers, reduce social barriers and encourage conversation. Such places often maintain a playful atmosphere while attracting regular visitors who develop a sense of belonging.
Food and drinks were not central to Oldenburg’s definition, but they have become a powerful draw at many modern third places. Starbucks explicitly embraces the concept, and its Mount Vernon shops frequently host customers working on laptops over coffee.
Oldenburg studied English and social studies at Minnesota’s Mankato State University before earning master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from the University of Minnesota. He later taught sociology at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.
Arlington residents seek more gathering spaces
The demand for third places extends beyond Mount Vernon. Arlington planners are using findings from the 2025 Perception Survey to guide efforts to reinforce community ties in Rosslyn.
Although the survey examined safety and walkability, it also measured residents’ sense of belonging. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they would recommend living in the neighborhood. Restaurants, bars and dining were ranked as the most important Rosslyn amenity for supporting work-life balance during the workday.
When asked what would most improve daily life, 60% selected additional parks and gathering spaces.
The findings will inform the Rosslyn Business Improvement District’s fiscal 2026 strategic priorities. Rosslyn has more than 16,000 residents and over 25,000 employees. Planned efforts include improving public spaces, organizing events, strengthening communications and increasing engagement with community stakeholders.
The concept has even appeared in popular culture. In the 2013 comedy Coffee Town, Glenn Howerton plays Will, a website manager who treats a coffee shop as his office. When he learns that the shop may become a bistro, he devises an outlandish scheme to preserve the place where he spends his working days.