“The Third Place has never been defined solely by a physical space, it’s also the feeling of warmth, connection, a sense of belonging,” states a 2022 blog post on the Starbucks website. The post explains that the company’s mobile apps create a sense of community and that machines like the Clover Vertica will reduce the complexity of labour for their partners (employees), “enabling stronger engagement and connection between our partners and the customers they serve.”

Starbucks has a weird way of looking at the world.

I agree with the point of this piece; public libraries are awesome.