Third Place falls to third place

Recently, a lot of students have grown increasingly frustrated with the local pizzeria in Castleton, Third Place.

Third Place is one of the few restaurants in Castleton that is close to campus and welcoming of student life. The popular hub has been growing in the past few years, changing the look every so often, updating their menus, and even restyling the outdoor seating area to accompany all seasons.

The idea behind Third Place was to have a restaurant that tends to all needs where students can come and enjoy good food along with a relaxing background.

The idea of calling the building Third Place comes from sociology terms. The two main places humans spend their time are between home and school or work, which for college students are the same thing. The third area is somewhere that is essential for relaxing and being different than the other two main areas.

Third Place was designed to fit that need. It would be an area for students and community members to unwind in.

After the plans had been made and everything was going well, it seemed like the restaurant was thriving. Unfortunately, in the last year or so, something has twisted.

Third Place used to be the restaurant all my friends went to grab some good food, but now if I were to go out with them, they would want to go somewhere else. 

I too believe that as much as I like going to Third Place, it has become an unreliable place to eat. That being said, if I have family in town or want to go out for something special, I would most definitely still head on over.

I believe the main reason Third Place has dropped out of the “go-to” spot off campus for students are the hours. The restaurant posts their hours saying they are open, but it never seems like they remain truthful to how late they say.

I have seen students walk in to grab food and get told it’s closed, even though the sign outside the door and the time at the moment do not match. I have seen students leave with anger and confusion.

Now I know it is hard for restaurants to stay open later in the Castleton community area because nothing really happens, but I feel that if they stayed open later, it wouldn’t hurt them.

Campus life is always popping with different events and activities, whether supported by the school or not. On the weekends, a lot of students are walking around campus. If there was a place where the students could go at that late time, I think Third Place could be the go-to spot again and regain their trust within their customers.

I really do enjoy Third Place, but as of late, it seems that the restaurant has given up. If Third Place wants to have the same influx of students that it once did, owning up to their mistakes and showing they are changing might be the best option.

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