Diners as Third Places for Community Building
Document Type
Poster Presentation
Publication Date
4-17-2026
Keywords
fsc2026
Abstract
In this presentation, we will share the topic-based one-sheet we used to facilitate a dialogue in our HNRS 2555-04 class on the topic of diners as third places for community building. In this facilitation, we highlighted how diners are thought of and represented in media as gathering places, providing conversation and community along with affordable meals and coffee. We then focused on two local eateries in the Pittsford Village, Neutral Ground and Coal Tower. We visited these places to get a better sense of how they serve their community, and if they truly qualify as third places as defined by Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place. Specific issues we focused on were the inclusivity of the diners, who had access to them and who didn’t, and how they fit into the context of the village. Participants in the facilitation were asked to observe visitors, sketch the floor plan to consider how it affected clustering, and think about how the need to maintain business affects a diner’s ability to serve its customers in community.
Publication Information
Cofer, Rianna and Tuori, Owen, "Diners as Third Places for Community Building" (2026). Fisher Showcase 2026. Paper 82.
https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/fsc2026/82
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Comments
Poster presented at the 2026 Fisher Showcase, St. John Fisher University, April 17, 2026.