Third Place Books of LFP Continues to Fill Void

Third Place Books of Lake Forest Park is one of the most well known small businesses in the area.  One might wonder how the bookstore became one of the most popular gathering spots for the people of this community. 

Robert Sindelar, the managing partner of the bookstore, said simply, “We created a center where there was no center.”

The mall was 75 percent vacant in 1998 when Third Place Books started transforming the space they occupy now. 

Sindelar and the owner Ron Sher knew they could come in and create a place that was very unique and special to the area. They had a lot of space to work with, 44,000 square feet to be exact. With that amount of space they could do many different things but ultimately decided to create a community center that was more then just a confined coffee shop or simply a bookstore.

Sindelar believes the space allowed them to create a commons area that housed a lot of different businesses and untimely a place for all types to run into each other.

They were able to completely transform the upper level of the mall by obtaining a master lease from the owner, Madison Marquette. The master lease extended to the bookstore, Honey Bear Bakery, El Oso restaurant and Third Place Press. To fill up the rest of the space Third Place subleased to Burney Brother’s BBQ, Kitto, The Big Time Pizza, and Shoreline Community College.

“We created a general inviting nature to this place,” Sindelar said. 

There is a good mix of businesses that draw people in, and they not only draw people in, but also provide opportunities. Just a quick glance at Third Place Books’ online calendar proves that opportunities are abundant for many people. Plus there are the author events, book clubs, writer's groups, foreign language conversation, computer training, programs for kids--and most of the events are free.   

In many ways Third Place Books and the commons area has not only provided a community center but also a cultural one.  Since the geography of Lake Forest Park is more private, one would have had to make the short trek to Seattle for most cultural and community gatherings.  Third Place Books has made the trek a lot shorter. 

 “The people who choose to live here have already made decisions about what kind of life they want," said Sindelar, who lives in Lake Forest Park. 

They want a home with more space and privacy, lush greenery and strong community.  Third Place Books continues to help contribute to that strong sense of community.