- San Francisco's tech community is embracing an in-person culture amid the AI boom.
- Tech workers are finding community in "third places"—spaces separate from home and work.
- Here are five places the city's tech workers like to hang out and build community.
San Francisco was undoubtedly hit hard by the pandemic. Tech companies left behind vacant offices amid a shift to remote work and then layoffs, while major stores shut down, leaving the city's downtown oddly empty.
But with San Francisco at the epicenter of the AI boom, the city has made a comeback.
Major players like OpenAI and Anthropic, which both have a hybrid work model, are headquartered in the city. Accelerator programs, like YCombinator, have returned to in-person programming. A new crop of startups has set up shop in Hayes Valley, a neighborhood techies nicknamed "Cerebral Valley."
As the city embraces a more in-person culture, techies are gravitating to "third places" to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas, and build community.
"Third places," a term introduced by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in the late 1980s, refers to community spaces separate from the home ("first place") and work ("second place"). These "third places," such as cafés and libraries, foster community through informal and spontaneous conversations.
Here are five "third places" where San Francisco's founders, VCs, and tech workers are gathering.
Groundfloor
Founded in 2021, Groundfloor is a brightly lit community space located in the heart of San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. The entrance to the flagship location is unassuming at first, but after swiping in, members are greeted by a cheery community manager.
During the day, members use the space to work. When I visited, laptops and notebooks cluttered the long tables, pairs gathered in lounge chairs, and members took virtual meetings in phone booths.
Groundfloor attracts a variety of members, said Sean Ang, a community manager at Groundfloor. Many work in tech or work remotely. Others are new to the city and want to build community and roots.
"We have a lot of solo entrepreneurs and first-time founders who want community while they're on this very isolating kind of journey," said Ang.
Elizabeth Young is a freelance marketing consultant. After three years of working from home during the pandemic, she joined Groundfloor after visiting with her friend.
"I really like leaving the house and being around people while I'm working," she said. "It's nice to have casual conversations during the day."
The space also doubles as a social space. According to the company's website, Groundfloor members pay $200 monthly to access wellness classes, curated introductions to members, and social events like concerts, game nights, and talks through its member-led social clubs.
The Commons
The Commons is tucked away underground in Hayes Valley. According to the company's website, it is "a tight-knit community for the curious, creative, and playful to explore & grow together." The space has a café and kitchen, yoga and meditation studio, workspaces, and other lounging areas.
Members are initiated into the community through an orientation program and are invited to join a "guild," according to the community's blog. A guild is a group of members who have shared interests. The Commons breaks down these guilds into four groups— explorer, builder, seeker, and artist. Members are encouraged to meet weekly with their guild for check-ins.
Other initiatives The Commons hosts are guided practicums, in which members attend sessions focused on specific development areas, such as creativity or relationships. Outside the guilds and practicums, members can also attend community-wide events or simply hang out in the space.
"I joined Commons when I moved to SF, hoping to meet people there," said Max Wolff, an engineer at Superstate, a blockchain-based asset management firm. "I use the Commons mostly as a coworking space during the week…sometimes I'll swing by on a Friday night when I have no plans just to see who's there and hang for a bit."
Non-members can also participate in different public events that The Commons hosts. For example, the space gets filled on Sunday mornings for Writing Club. After brief intros and a check-in, people write quietly for an hour. They then share what they've worked on with the others around their tables. In the session I attended, people wrote improv jokes, an AI blog post, and a dystopian short story.
The Center SF
The Center SF is a community hub located in a large Victorian house. After entering through the side of the building, visitors are greeted with a cozy teahouse and lounge space. Yoga classes and events, including meditations, sound baths, and improv classes, take place in the rooms flanking the main café space.
"The Center SF is a community hub dedicated to personal, spiritual, and social transformation in the heart of San Francisco," said Zack Wexler-Beron, a co-owner.
The community attracts a range of people— "founders, engineers, yogis, artists, healers, and people seeking authentic connections and a sense of community," he said.
When I visited The Center SF, I was struck by how easy it was to connect with others in the space. After a yoga class, I walked out chatting with the yoga teacher as we headed to our cars.
Shack15
Founded in 2020, Shack15 is a social club "of 2,000 entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors" located on the second floor of San Francisco's Ferry building, according to the company's website.
Large windows showcase panoramic views of the San Francisco Baybay. The vast space has an array of tables, lounge chairs, and sofas for members to take meetings, type away on their laptops, or even enjoy a glass of wine from the community's bar.
Shack15 hosts fireside chats and panel discussions on various topics, according to the company's website. Members can also use the space to host private events. VCs, for example, enjoy using Shack15 to hold meetings and dinners.
According to the company's website, it also has an angel fund that invests in AI and deep tech startups. Shack15 reserves allocation for a members-only angel syndicate.
Membership costs $2,000 a year, reported The San Francisco Standard.
Noisebridge
Noisebridge is a hackerspace in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. Visitors enter through a metal gate and pass through either the roll-up or front doors. When I visited, a "greeter" was posted by the gate to let visitors in.
According to its website, Noisebridge is a "physical space open and welcoming to all." The space provides "infrastructure and collaboration opportunities for anyone interested in programming, hardware, crafts, science, robotics, art, and technology."
As I walked through the space, it was clear that people were at work, taking advantage of the specialized equipment available. There was a laser cutter, 3D printer, and even a sewing studio.
While access to the space is free, frequent visitors are encouraged to donate. The community space is funded entirely by donations.