With nearly 20% of office spaces currently sitting empty across the United States, and as multiple major property and asset management companies have collectively defaulted on billions in commercial-property loans, it may be tempting to think that the cult of workaholism is diminishing as its old cubicle-packed temples seem to continue to crumble, but one visit to a Panera or Starbucks on a random Tuesday afternoon quickly dispels that notion.
For many remote employees in an era of growing work-from-anywhere flexibility, these third places increasingly operate as the new office (though, of course, speaking as a former freelance writer, such has been the case for gig workers for a very long time). For what they occasionally lack in basic working necessities — namely open table space and working outlets — they make up for in unique amenities, like a friendly barista waiting behind the counter to ask, “One espresso shot or two?”
