With the simultaneous growth of the Treasure Valley’s population and the rise of remote work, remote gathering places for work are in high demand. It’s not just for work, either — third spaces in general where people can spend time with their community outside of work and their homes without paying a ton of money are sorely needed.
For workers though, having a place outside of their home office setup can be very beneficial. To help you find a new spot for when you just need to see another person outside your home, three remote workers talked about the best options for Boiseans recently on the City Cast Boise podcast.
Libraries
You already pitch in to pay for libraries through your taxes, so why not use them as a second working location? They might not be completely quiet, but they’ll get you around other people, which is half the battle sometimes. If you do need more privacy, several library branches offer isolated rooms you can use for a while — some of my favorites are at the Collister branch.
Coffee Shops
Paying for a latte, no matter how exorbitant the cost seems, is partially paying for Wi-Fi and the electricity you charge your devices with. Luckily we have some amazing work-friendly local coffee shops in town, including Push & Pour, Java, and the Flying M (the Nampa Flying M is the best). For the Meridian folks, host Lindsay Van Allen recommends Lucky Perk.
Parks and Other Outdoor Spaces
Though you might not think of parks as being a place for a work hang, if you have off-screen reading or writing to do, try your neighborhood park. Smaller parks like Cherie Buckner-Webb Park downtown will be more likely to provide quiet and seclusion if that’s what you need, and you’ll always be within reach of a bathroom.
