As a physical structure, the third place is typically plain. In some
cases, it falls a bit short of plain. One of the reasons it is difficult to
convince some people of the importance of the third place is that so
many of them have an appearance that suggests otherwise. Third
places are unimpressive looking for the most part. They are not, with
few exceptions, advertised; they are not elegant. In cultures where
mass advertising prevails and appearance is valued over substance, the
third place is all the more likely not to impress the uninitiated.