Older Adults Are Sharing The "Third Spaces" They Loved That Don't Exist Anymore

Walking up and down the aisles at the video store, grabbing a bunch of DVDs, and taking forever to pick out some overly sweet candy made Blockbuster a memorable third space. We've lost many of these third spaces that hold a special place for older adults.

These Redditors expressed their favorite third spaces that aren't around anymore or have completely changed:

1.Arcades

A group of children are gathered around and playing an arcade game machine in a lively, indoor setting.

2.Ice Skating Rinks

People lacing up figure skates and hockey skates, preparing to go ice skating

3.Movie Theaters

An elderly couple and a woman laugh while watching a movie in a theater, surrounded by other smiling people

4.Bookstores With A Cafe

Two women having a conversation over coffee at a table in a bookstore, with one woman holding a book and smiling at the other

5.Front Porches

A porch with two chairs and a small table between them. There is a potted plant on the table, and windows with shutters behind the chairs

6.The Mall

Three people enjoy a meal at a fast-food restaurant in a mall. One person wears glasses and a hat, another wears a backward cap. They are eating fries and drinking soft drinks.

7.Blockbuster

Exterior of a Blockbuster store with signs reading "Best Selection" and "Newest Releases" on its windows. The store has a large yellow Blockbuster sign above

8.Music Stores

Front view of an HMV record store, showcasing posters for various music genres and radio station 103.5, with two people nearby.

9.Stores With Music Lessons

A man and a boy are playing guitars together in a room filled with CDs and guitars

10.Hobby Shops

A man exits a HobbyTown USA store while holding a bag. The storefront features various hobby-related items on display and several signs

11.Drive-In Theaters

A drive-in theater at night with cars parked, facing a large illuminated screen

12.Clubs

A group of five men playing flag football in a park, with one man holding the football and running while others chase him, all smiling and appearing to have fun

13.Nature Spots

Group of five people, including three women and two men, hiking through a forest. They are smiling and walking on a trail

14.Teen Centers

A group of young girls  in casual clothing practice a dance routine in a studio with mirrors and wooden floors.

15.Bowling

A row of bowling balls at a bowling alley.

16.Soda Fountains

A vintage soda fountain setup with syrup dispensers, milkshake containers, glassware, and other equipment typically found in a retro diner

17.Pool Halls

Three people playing pool in a casual indoor setting. One person, with short hair, takes a shot while another in a plaid shirt watches. The third person observes.

18.Cybercafes

Several people, including a woman in a halter top and a man in a t-shirt, work on computers in an internet café named Phone.Net.Cafe

19.Skateparks

A person skateboards mid-air in a skatepark, performing a trick near a ramp, with urban buildings in the background

20.Dance Halls

Three people are dancing in a studio, wearing casual clothes. The person in the middle is wearing a polka dot skirt and black tights

21.Pizza Hut Dine-In

A group of four teenagers sits around a table with drinks at a Pizza Hut restaurant, engaging in conversation.

22.And lastly, beaches

An excavator working at a construction site near the coast, with the sea and construction materials in the background

H/T: /r/tumblr, /r/90s, /r/CasualConversation, /r/AskAnAmerican, /r/NoStupidQuestions, and /r/nostalgia