In a world dominated by screen time and individual routines, people are craving community more than ever. Enter the third place—the concept made famous by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, referring to the space between home and work that fosters connection, identity, and belonging.

Think: your favorite café. That boutique gym with the great lighting. The bookshop where they know your name.
These businesses don’t just offer a product or service. They offer a feeling. And that feeling is what keeps people coming back.

So, what does this have to do with your medspa or wellness practice?

Everything.

The most successful brands in 2025 and beyond won’t just sell services—they’ll become spaces people want to be. Businesses that act like third places are the ones that get shared, talked about, and returned to.

Because we’re not just living in a service economy anymore.
We’re living in an experience economy.

What Is a Third Place?

Third places are community anchors. They’re informal gathering spots that offer more than transactions—they offer identity.

They are:

• Welcoming and inclusive
• Designed for lingering and conversation
• Filled with micro-moments of delight
• Places where people feel seen

Starbucks didn’t become a global giant because the coffee was the best. They won because they built a third place—complete with comfy chairs, wifi, a friendly face at the register, and a name written on your cup.

How Can You Apply This to Your Practice?

Here’s how you turn your wellness space into a magnetic third place your clients brag about belonging to:

1. Design for Comfort and Belonging

If your space feels sterile and transactional, it’s time to rethink. Add softness. Add you. Make it feel like somewhere worth being—not just a hallway to Botox.

☑️ Add books or magazines your clients actually want to read
☑️ Curate a scent experience and playlist
☑️ Create a check-in ritual that feels elevated, not awkward

2. Use Language That Signals Identity

People want to be part of something. Use your marketing and in-office language to build a world.
Say things like:
➤ “In our community, we…”
➤ “Our signature method…”
➤ “For women who value longevity, not just lip gloss.”

Make them feel like they’re part of a club—because they are.

3. Host Events (Even Small Ones)

Workshops, wine nights, skincare socials, hormone chats—anything that invites people to gather and learn together.
It doesn’t have to be big. It has to be intentional.
In-person is powerful. Curated is even better.

4. Build Community Online, Too

Third places exist digitally now. Is your Instagram a landing page… or a living room? Are you educating, inspiring, or just selling?

☑️ Show your team’s personality
☑️ Celebrate patient wins (with permission)
☑️ Share behind-the-scenes moments that make your space feel real

5. Create a Ritual Around Care

When your patients come in, is it just an appointment… or is it a personal ritual of becoming?
Think welcome tea, tailored playlists, intention-setting, journaling prompts, post-treatment affirmations.
Make it the best part of their week.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

Healthcare is shifting.
Patients are tired of sterile. Tired of being rushed.
They’re looking for providers who don’t just solve problems, but create experiences.
Practices who understand this will not only retain clients—but turn them into advocates.Because when your business becomes someone’s third place,
you become part of their story.
And no algorithm can compete with that.