Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Third Spaces
Why a good coffee shop is the glue that holds my life together
I have mentioned before that making friends in adulthood is a challenge. I have been lucky enough to have many friends throughout many phases of my life, but I worried extensively when I moved from Morgantown to Wheeling that I would struggle to make friends in a new environment. In an unfamiliar setting, work was my saving grace for making friends. I built strong connections with the people I saw each day that then turned into friendships that I maintain even now.
Now that I work from home, things are a bit trickier. I love work from home and would consider the widespread popularity of virtual work to be the best thing to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. That being said, I could easily go days, weeks, months without actually seeing anyone other than my fiancé. This is sort of an issue if I want to have friends.
This brings me to the topic at hand: third spaces. Third spaces, if you aren’t familiar with the concept, are places apart from work and home where you regularly spend time. They can be parks, churches, gyms, bars, libraries, stores, or–my personal favorite–coffee shops. Third spaces are what make communities, and yet, in a lot of areas, they are unfortunately lacking.
This past weekend, I was back in Morgantown for a baby shower. In an odd twist of events, my friend from Wheeling has a sister-in-law who lives in Morgantown and planned her baby shower at my parents’ church/the church where I grew up/the church where my grandma’s ashes are stored. Go figure. While in town, I wanted to take one of my friend’s to a local coffee shop. Unfortunately, my personal favorite (Blue Moose) was closed by the time we left the baby shower, so I took her to my second favorite option (The Grind).
In past writing, I have also mentioned that I do like my new(ish) home in Wheeling. It’s not a bad place, and it’s nice for me to be away from where I grew up. Good for the personal growth and all of that. What Wheeling is desperately lacking is a good coffee shop. When I say “good coffee shop,” I am not referring to the drinks. No, Wheeling has no shortage of places with good coffee, lattes, teas, smoothies, etc. What I am referring to is the ambience. The vibes. I like black coffee and plain hot tea most of all, so I can easily prepare my drink of choice at home. When I go to a coffee shop, I want to people watch, type (as I am doing at a coffee shop right now), catch up with a friend, or simply bask in the pleasant coffee shop aura.
In this sense, being at The Grind with Missy was like taking a breath of fresh air. Although Blue Moose will always have my heart, I spent many an afternoon at The Grind throughout my college years, owing to its close proximity to WVU’s downtown campus. There were months during my sophomore year of college in particular when I was at The Grind with my friends so much that I felt that I could, for the first time, relate to the Gilmore Girls spending every morning at Luke’s Diner or the cast of Friends always getting together at Central Perk.
There is a really cute bookstore called Little House of Books about fifteen minutes away from me in Claysville, Pennsylvania (population: 723). The first time I visited, the woman working at the register was the owner of the store, and she said that a cute little bookstore was what the town was lacking, so she decided to open one herself. Will I add coffee shop owner to my portfolio of career aspirations? Will I move somewhere where I can once again be a “regular” at a coffee shop? Will I do what I am doing now and settle for trips to Starbucks or shops where the drinks are good but the ambience is sub-par? The jury is still out, but I will be sure to keep you all updated.
For now, here are some pictures of different coffee shops I have enjoyed and photographed.
This little coffee shop in Weaverville, North Carolina had rosemary and thyme bagels that were the bomb and lots of people who I would assume were regulars. Someone came in, ordered a cup of coffee, and then started playing the piano.
This coffee shop and bakery was by my friend’s apartment in Pittsburgh. I went the morning after I saw Taylor Swift in concert this summer.
This coffee shop in Cumberland, Maryland had shelves of books and board games. Great third space.
White Whale Books in Pittsburgh has all the essentials.
Do you have a favorite coffee shop? Another favorite third space? I am always open for suggestions.
Until next time,
Alexa