For the parents out there, you’ve got some time to think of a way to tell your kids that there won’t be any water ball fun in downtown now that the city has decided to drop Raleigh Wide Open this year. The economy is to blame on this one, and they feel the money is better worth saving then spending. The news might sound bad but I feel there is a positive way to look at this. Downtown Raleigh has a little breathing room and maybe an opportunity to offer something new.

If you are a downtown regular, especially on the weekends, the Spring and Fall can be quite hectic. Downtown is pretty event driven, in my opinion, with visitors brought in by large events, drowning out the local crowd. Some months, it’s weekend after weekend of street closings, crowds, music, and food. The old man in me sometimes gets tired of it all and just wants to relax.

How can downtown Raleigh create its own identity if it’s constantly catering to so many different groups?

I do believe in variety though and that downtown should have something for all. The last five years of Raleigh Wide Opens have hopefully convinced enough people that downtown is a place to visit every now and than, that there is something for you to be a part of.

But maybe with First Fridays, Raleigh Wide Open, Hopscotch, Beerfest, the 3 or 4 marathons, Bikefest, the home tour, SparkCon, Artsplosure, 4 or 5 parades combined with all the other things happening at the convention center and the amphitheater each and every year, should we care that we lost one event?

I’d be shocked to hear that nothing else that happens in downtown can’t cover anyone’s sadness over Raleigh Wide Open being dropped.

Keep enjoying downtown, but do something different this year.

Landmark Tavern by abbyladybug, on Flickr

Suds and Speculation posts are ideas I come up with, usually while drinking and socializing with friends or people I meet. The posts also use real data leading to some idea, or dream, that we can speculate on for downtown Raleigh.

Where is your third place? Not sure what I’m talking about? Actually I’m referring to the concept of everyone’s social environments throughout their lives. Our “first place” is generally our home, followed by our “second place” being where we work. But the term “third place” refers to where we spend time outside of home and work to get our social fix. One of the things that downtown Raleigh naturally offers are unique places for anyone to call their own.

Coffee shops, museums, bars, barbershops, they all play a role as someone’s third place. It’s where you go to see familiar faces or to be in a comfortable environment. The concept is huge in downtown Raleigh and was mentioned extensively in the 2009 Retail Market Analysis. (link to the pdf) These types of spots are all over the place.

The report mentions that the “third place” in downtown is important to residents and those that live in the surrounding neighborhoods. I think that is true for nearby residents but the ease of parking in downtown at night and on weekends allows anyone living further out to access their third place rather easily.

While barbershops have been an established “third place” in downtown Raleigh for some time now, a growing number of coffee shops now have longer hours and are drawing in more people. The increase in the number of bars in downtown has also created regulars crowds and bar owners that can expect business outside of the weekend. The regulars crowd is diverse and fits that third place description.

One thing that downtown Raleigh still needs is for third place options that are free. The easiest one that comes to mind is a library with public space accessible at most hours of the day. Grabbing a drink at a bar isn’t always on my mind and I don’t drink coffee so more options for third places would really raise the bar for residents and frequent visitors.

A bookstore would work also. I could see myself visiting enough times and buying enough books that they wouldn’t mind if I stayed in and read inside their lounge area. Just hide the power plugs and no one will mooch the space.

Being outside could be a third place to some. Moore and Nash Square are nice outdoor areas to be around. City Plaza on Fayetteville Street is also a great urban setting to stop and enjoy the scenery. The weather could ruin things though and you don’t get that “familiar faces” environment that shops and food places give you.

My third place is Landmark Tavern. It’s the default place to go whenever I can’t decide where I want to spend my time. In my head, I always compare it to Publicans in J. R. Moehringer’s The Tender Bar. (great book if bar culture interests you)

I think this social, third place concept is something that downtown leaders should recognize very heavily because it is a unique offering when attracting new business to downtown. The suburbs have “free” parking but downtown has people, that you can interact with outside of work and your car.

More on this topic below.

Raleigh DLA: Find Your Third Place In Downtown Raleigh