How’s the Audio Video in Your Favorite “Third Place?”
published onOctober 3, 2011

Everybody needs someplace they can escape. Remember the classic 80s TV show Cheers? That Boston bar was the “third place” to a diverse cast of regulars, before “third place” was a popular concept.

Later, Friends’ Central Perk, a New York City coffee house, became the TV third place. That and Seinfeld’s diner, of course. (Hey, what do you expect from professional New York video installers — we’re TV geeks, too.)

Local bookstores, coffee houses, and diners, restaurants and — yes, bars and sports bars — all have the potential to be a third place. But what is the third place?

It’s that spot you go. It’s not home. It’s not work. It’s that other place “where everybody knows your name.”

Rising Audio Video standards

But standards for a third place are rising. People want wifi. They want entertainment. Digital signage. And an audio video experience worth talking about. This is especially true if your third place is somewhere you’ll sit every night watching the game (whether it’s Mets, Yankees, Jets, Giants or even NASCAR).

There are a few requirements for a third place:

  • Good food/drinks
  • Friendly people
  • A comfortable atmosphere that invites people to sit and linger for hours
  • Conversation, entertainment and ambiance

Specializing in… New York and New Jersey Third Places

New Yorkers (and our neighbors over the bridge) like to go over the top for everything. So, of course, we’ve taken that third place concept to a new level. We’re working on some exciting venues right now, and have just completed a few, where audio video plays an integral role in that third place feel. Whether you want sushi, steaks, a classic diner burger, or just a few drinks while you watch the game or the news, these places have it all.

It’s important to remember that one of the important things about a “third place” is the sense of community it fosters. That’s why the technology is there, but it’s not necessarily the focal point. Through the design, screen placement, and even how we frame the monitors, we help the technology blend in. It’s just like at home. Your TV may be part of the room, but it’s not the whole room.

What’s the AV like in your third place? Does it make you feel comfortable?

Are you a New York bar or restaurant owner trying to find a way to turn your venue into a third place? We can help with the right audio video systems and intuitive, user-friendly controls, so you can focus on the everything else you have to do as a venue owner.