In Howard Shultz book about Starbucks he said one of Starbucks goals was for it to be a third place to be able to safely go to chat and socialize. Home is one, work is two. He wanted Starbucks to be able to be a/the third. Similar to what a church or pub has provided throughout history but a lot of people no longer go to church.
Indeed, we should at least differentiate between third places that you have to pay for or are otherwise restricted, and that you don't have to.
A second place is your office, ie commercial spaces where you are an employee
they are second places only if you work there, I think
Public places outside tend to be too cold to linger at, for like half of the year.
A generation of Americans have no idea what the commons is.
Three generations, at least.
When do you think the American commons disappeared?
Not really , no, squares don't really exist in neighborhoods, and parks are almost as rare.
Not in Europe, they exist. I'm from the Netherlands, you can find public third places.
When I was in Germany, sure they exist, but they are rundown and crappy outside of city centers.