third place
n.— «Librarians and other experts say the growing conflicts are the result of an increase in the number of latchkey children, a decrease in civility among young people and a dearth of “third places”—neither home nor school—where kids can be kids.» —“Lock the Library! Rowdy Students Are Taking Over” by Tina Kelley New York Times Jan. 2, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...
How is this really different from Starbucks’ referring to itself as a third place (not home and not *work*)?
Because it applies to students, not businesspeople. The subtleties matter. Also, the term is probably older than Starbuck’s extended franchise expansion, as you can see from the cites at Word Spy. Note the Freud and Oldenburg reference there. A related term is the French troisième bureau, which usually refers to a bar or brasserie or the apartment of a mistress.