Ray Oldenburg, an urban sociologist, coined the term “the third place” to refer to the place besides home and work where people spend the most time. The idea of the third place is a key aspect to building a community. For some Tupelo patrons, their third place is quickly becoming this trendy local coffee house.  

Tupelo is located on Elvas Avenue, tucked behind 56th and H. A mile away from Sac State, most students could walk or bike to this location with ease. Highly recommended by a friend and trusted coffee fanatic, this branch of the local Naked Coffee chain did not disappoint.

First of all, this is a great setting for work because of the noise factor; rarely anyone is too loud. Most people come in to study, and believe me when I say study; it seems everyone is either on a laptop or reading a book. Overall Tupelo has a very artsy feel; in fact a guy sitting next to me was drawing some great sketches.

Tupelo has a very nice interior and plentiful seating that ties in with the urban décor, don't expect the same worn college frat couches that you would find at the original Naked Lounge. The furniture feels contemporary with leather wall couches and a picnic table. I should warn you that seating is scarce; the patrons come in to sip and search with their laptops handy. I had to wait for five or ten minutes to grab a seat and jump on the wi-fi.

The first sip of my latte came with the realization that the beans are top notch. Tupelo allows the espresso to speak for itself. I had a sip of a friend’s medium roast drip and it was flavorful and almost fruity.
 

The only difference a loyal patron would find between Naked Lounge and Tupelo is the atmosphere. If Naked Lounge is known as “urban”, Tupelo feels more “suburban” with its larger interior and handy adjacent parking lot; it caters more towards the individual who wants a bit more space and convenience.

The Tupelo crowd is mostly students and working professionals that like to keep to themselves. This trend may be caused by the plentiful amount of wall sockets, the comfortable seating and dependable wi-fi.
If you are looking for a quality cup and need to get some work done, take a trip towards Tupelo. It may not be your “third place” but it could definitely be your “third work space”.