At a time when academics, advocates and journalists across the country are grieving a decline in third places, the Milwaukee region has shown its aptitude for creating welcoming spaces that foster meaningful connections.
The idea that people need additional social engagement in realms beyond home and work to thrive is not a new one. The term “third places” was coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg in the late 1980s in the book “The Great Good Place” and has become commonplace in discussions ranging from urban planning to personal health.
A lot of places can fit this profile, from coffee shops and salons to basketball courts and picnic areas. They all matter, though I would contend that for some, community-building is a byproduct and for others, it is more intentional. In my opinion, our region has leaned creatively into cultivating accessible places where relationships are built, ideas are exchanged and a sense of community is strengthened, including what the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has done with its own physical space. This intentionality is a hallmark of a region on the rise.
ThriveOn King draws community closer
As a convener, the Foundation views bringing people together for a purpose as mission critical. Expanding our capacity to do so was top of mind when we first contemplated moving our headquarters. When we ultimately formed the ThriveOn Collaboration, we found like-minded partners in the Medical College of Wisconsin and Royal Capital who agreed that social cohesion deserved prioritization in our collective, place-based investment.
With the guidance and blessing of neighborhood residents, the ThriveOn King community hub was born from that intention. As a prototypical department store from 1907 to 1969, the building had been a third place for many in the city to congregate, shop and socialize. Through our historic redevelopment, its role as a third place is not only restored, it is enhanced.
The Foundation built expanded meeting space into its fourth floor offices to serve community groups and organizations. We hosted 259 community meetings and convenings in 2025, and 2026 is off to an equally energetic start.
Meanwhile, in ThriveOn King’s first floor common spaces, halls and conference rooms, 780 events and meetings were held in the first 14 months of operation through the end of 2025, resulting in over 20,000 attendee visits. And in its first full year, Kinship Café inside ThriveOn King served approximately 3,000 customers per month.
It’s not just the scale of gathering, but the depth of these connections that matter most. Groups have used the hub to tackle complex issues like gun violence and health inequities; to create new opportunities for youth engagement, education and job retention; to celebrate community milestones; and to memorialize lost loved ones, and so much more.
ThriveOn King is unique, but at the same time, the Foundation is not an outlier among our nearby peers in valuing community connections.
Resources anchored in neighborhoods
When Bader Philanthropies relocated to Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood in 2018, it set a high standard for authentic resident engagement while opening its doors with a mindset for hospitality and fellowship. Its headquarters has become a trusted third place, especially for community conversations and nonprofit development.
Known for organized opportunities including Bader BBQ and the monthly Chat with Bader that invite neighborhood connection, the private foundation also welcomed nearly 4,000 attendees to 131 convenings in 2025, a clear commitment to purposeful gathering.
Public libraries may be among the most timeless third places in a community, but Milwaukee Public Library brings innovation to the concept in a variety of ways. Already highly accessible by virtue of its 13 branches across the city, MPL has continued to view its civic role through a lens of dynamic connection.
In addition to organic socializing and programming, its resources include a wide variety of reservable meeting rooms available to the public, and sites like the Mitchell Street Branch and Martin Luther King Jr. Branch have been rebuilt with community gathering in mind. Specialized spaces, such as the makerspaces found at four different branches, add to the opportunity for productive connection.
Overall, libraries throughout our four-county area are helping unite people with resources and one another using approaches tailored to the communities they serve.
Reimagining the shape of third places
You’re also certain to find third places in greater Milwaukee that are new or unexpected.
Alice’s Garden, for example, is unmistakably an urban farm, and while much of the physical space is used for growing, plenty of room is reserved for the human connections that food can help strengthen. For years, the garden has been a place for people from Lindsay Heights and beyond to cultivate knowledge and relationships. Through activities like its weekly artisan market, yoga classes and reading circles, that legacy continues to grow.
Leaders Igniting Transformation, meanwhile, is starting a legacy with the establishment of what may be our community’s newest third place. The nonprofit just cut the ribbon on its LIT Lounge in March, offering young people a safe, restorative space to rest and simply be.
Located in the Walker’s Point neighborhood on Milwaukee’s south side, the LIT Lounge is youth-led and includes both unstructured time and structured activities to accommodate different needs and interests. It’s important that our next generation of leaders has accessible places where collaboration and connection can occur naturally.
Adapting to a new era
Even before COVID-19 completely upended social rhythms, changes in gathering behaviors were already manifesting due to the rise in digital communication, the fall of conventional hot spots like shopping malls, and the privatization of access. Retail has historically been an element of certain third places in our towns and cities – it just looks a little different than before, and these creative approaches often have added benefits.
The Hub in West Bend, for example, is a café and gathering spot owned and operated by the Volunteer Center of Washington County, so its double bottom line means residents have access to a vibrant third place while also supporting the work of local nonprofit organizations. Designed for small groups, its Community Table hosted 222 reservations in 2025 including book clubs, networking events, all-abilities craft days, and even a weekly widow’s group. It has already received nearly 350 requests for space this year.
Sherman Phoenix in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood, meanwhile, not only offers unique goods and services, it serves as an incubator for emerging small businesses. And Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward has long been a place where visitors can meet while shopping local.
Additionally, let’s not forget our region’s natural gems that have been cultivated to encourage connection, such as Oconomowoc’s Fowler Lake boardwalk, Cedarburg’s Cedar Creek Park and Milwaukee’s Lakeshore State Park.
I couldn’t possibly name every third place in our region that is contributing to our vitality, but I can confidently say that greater Milwaukee punches above its weight class, meaning that our achievements exceed expectations for a region our size. When it comes to third places, I’d say we are second to none.