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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2015 The ounkY ers Tea Room: A case study for businesses to exemplify characteristics of a third place Emily Elizabeth Cokeley Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Cokeley, Emily Elizabeth, "The ounkY ers Tea Room: A case study for businesses to exemplify characteristics of a third place" (2015). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 14313. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14313 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Younkers Tea Room: A case study for businesses to exemplify characteristics of a third place by Emily Elizabeth Cokeley A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major: Apparel, Merchandising, and Design Program of Study Committee: Sara B. Marcketti, Major Professor Linda Niehm Catherine Strohbehn Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2015 Copyright © Emily Elizabeth Cokeley, 2015. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION I dedicate my thesis to the 14 individuals who shared their Younkers Tea Room memories and experiences with me. It was truly a pleasure to listen and learn about each of you, and the role the Younkers Tea Room played in your lives. All of you helped me realize the Younkers Tea Room went beyond simply being a place to go to for a meal—it was a special place that although it is no longer open, lives on in your memories and experiences that many of you will always treasure. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT………………………………. .............................................................. viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 1 Objective…… ...................................................................................................... 1 Importance of Study ............................................................................................. 1 Research Questions .............................................................................................. 2 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................... 3 Younkers History ................................................................................................. 3 The Younkers Tea Room ..................................................................................... 5 Tea Room History ................................................................................................ 6 History of the Department Store Tea Room ........................................................ 10 Oldenburg’s Third Places .................................................................................... 11 Definition of Terms.............................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 3: METHODS ......................................................................................... 14 iv Page CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................... 17 Third Places and the Younkers Tea Room .......................................................... 17 Implications for Retailers ..................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION .................................................................................. 56 Recommendations for Considering Third Places ................................................ 56 Limitations ......................................................................................................... 64 Future Research ................................................................................................... 64 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 65 APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW SCHEDULE……………………………………… . 68 APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT: JULIA ............................................. 71 APPENDIX C: EXEMPT STUDY APPROVAL FOR INTERVIEW IRB……….. 99 v LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Notes from Teen Board .............................................................................. 31 Figure 2 Acceptance Letter ...................................................................................... 32 Figure 3 Teen Board Model ..................................................................................... 33 Figure 4 Implications for Retailers Framework ....................................................... 55 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1 Younkers Tea Room Informants ................................................................ 16 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to my major professor, Dr. Sara B. Marcketti, whose guidance, patience, and understanding every step of the way through conducting this study and the writing of the thesis motivated and inspired me to accomplish the completion of it. Next, I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Linda Niehm, and Dr. Catherine Strohbehn, who served as committee members for my thesis. I am full of gratitude towards each of you for your continual support, advice and words of encouragement throughout this process. Now I would like to thank my husband, Kyle, who has been a constant source of support not only throughout the writing of my thesis but also throughout my time in graduate school. Your encouragement and positivity truly helped me along every step of the way with this project. Lastly, I would like to thank my family and friends, who have been supportive through this process and motivated me to accomplish my goal of writing the thesis. viii ABSTRACT The Younkers Tea Room was an iconic tea room located in the downtown Younkers Building in Des Moines, Iowa that was open from 1913 until 2005. It was a tradition for many people to center their trip to the Younkers Department Store, also located in the Younkers Building, on their visit to the tea room. To further understand why the Younkers Tea Room experienced the immense success over the years it was open, and also how the Younkers Tea Room can be an example for other small and large businesses, 14 individuals were interviewed about their tea room memories and experiences. Each interview was analyzed for common themes, some of these themes included: the tea room was a special place, and individuals dressed up to dine at the tea room. Many interviewees revealed they do not care to dress up simply to go out for a meal, and their tastes have evolved from the often rich food that the tea room offered. These revelations are possible underlying reasoning as to why the Younkers Tea Room closed in 2005. The concept of Oldenburg’s (1999) third places was incorporated into the study to explain possible reasons for the Younkers Tea Room’s success and its eventual closing. Third places are “…a generic designation for a great variety of public places that host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work” ( p. 15). Examples of third places are coffee shops and pubs. There are eight characteristics of third places: on neutral ground; the third place is a leveler; conversation is the main activity; accessibility and accommodation; the regulars; a low profile; the mood is playful; and a home away from home. The eight characteristic of third places were examined with the memories and experiences of the interviewees, and seven out of the eight characteristics aligned with the interviewee data. The characteristic of a third ix place being low profile did not align with the atmosphere and décor of the Younkers Tea Room. Third places that are low profile are plain and not fancy—the opposite of the tea room with its fancy table settings and grand décor of chandeliers and gorgeous floral carpeting. The Younkers Tea Room is an excellent example for business owners of how to replicate the characteristic of third places into their own businesses. Although, one will want to strongly consider whether or not to utilize the characteristic of being low profile, as the Younkers Tea Room did not align with this characteristic. 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION The American department store tea room arrived around the start of the nineteenth century and lasted up to the 1960s, with few currently remaining (Whitaker, 2002). Up until 2005, the Younkers Tea Room was one of the last of these relics in the United States. This master’s thesis presents a case study based upon the success of the Younkers Tea Room in Des Moines, Iowa, which left a significant impression on its guests. The purposes of this study are twofold: first, to better understand how and why the Younkers Tea Room

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