A game with a friend builds connections and reduces loneliness: a win-win. (Photo: Unsplash/Marcel R.)
By Libby Nichols
We’re more connected than ever. We can text a friend across the country, join online communities dedicated to every imaginable hobby and keep up with hundreds of people from our phones. Yet loneliness continues to rise. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness and social isolation to be public health concerns, reporting that roughly half of American adults experience loneliness.
Part of the challenge may be the decline of what sociologists call “third places,” gathering spaces outside of home and work where people build relationships, strengthen community and develop a sense of belonging. For previous generations, these may have been places of worship, a local diner, a bowling league or bridge club. While many of those traditional gathering spaces have faded, the need they fulfill has not.
The good news? Third places aren’t disappearing entirely. They’re just evolving.
Across Des Moines, a new generation of gathering spaces is helping people find some of the connections we all need.
At The Rook Room, community begins with play. A board game offers a built-in reason to sit down with others, work together and strike up conversations that might never happen otherwise. Whether gathering with friends or meeting new people during an event night, visitors are doing more than playing games — they’re participating in a shared experience.
At The Glitter Factory, creativity becomes a catalyst for connection. Workshops bring together people who want to make something with their hands, but the real value often comes from the conversations happening around the craft table. It’s a reminder that a community can be built one project at a time.
At Reading in Public, books build common ground. As the name suggests, book clubs, author events and organized discussions make reading more than a solitary activity. The store is a place to exchange ideas, meet new people and share a sense of curiosity.
At the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex, people connect through movement. Hockey leagues, pickleball games and recreational programs create opportunities for repeated interaction, turning teammates into friends and familiar faces into a community.
These spaces may look a little different from the third places of decades past, but they still give people a reason to show up, see familiar faces and feel like they belong. After all, real community isn’t built through notifications or followers. Swap the doom-scrolling for real-life interactions and conversations.
Do you have a go-to third place? What locations or activities keep you connected? Let us know by sending an email to editors@bpcdm.com.
Libby Nichols is the creator and founder of Meet DSM, an Instagram brand dedicated to showcasing Des Moines. She also writes about local businesses and events for dsm magazine.
Show Comments (0)