Metro Detroit Offers ‘Third Places’ for People to Combat Loneliness, Connect with Community

Our society is growing increasingly more isolated. Research on the trend of loneliness reveals that more people spend more time at home than ever and less time engaging with their community. This trend has led to people experiencing increased depression and irritability. 

In Metro Detroit, several places have become “third spaces” where people can build bonds, chat with strangers, eat, drink, and pass time with others.

Spot Lite and Cafe Sous Terre in Detroit transform from cafes by day to cocktail venues at night. The Belle Isle Conservatory, meanwhile, offers a beautiful space for social engagement, courtesy of a two-year, $10 million renovation of its glass dome.

Cultural venues like the Cranbrook Art Museum and the Detroit Institute of Arts provide a "sense of escapism among art, if you will — but they are also well-designed social spots built for people to interact over coffee or on a bench taking in the artwork on display," notes local NPR personality Ryan Patrick Hooper in the March 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. 

These places in Detroit are meant for people to connect, but as Hooper said, "We've got to be willing to make that connection.

"While the country overall gets a bit more isolated, let's remember we've got the spaces, events, and culture to find common ground … and connect with our fellow Metro Detroiters."