Angelinos, and Americans in general, find themselves longing for more third spaces: places to regularly meet and build community where you aren’t obligated to spend money. Los Angeles in particular has a reputation for being a tough place for adults to make friends given both the sheer vastness and the “walled garden” aspect that arises from the city’s car-centric infrastructure with patches of walkability.
Small entrepreneurs throughout the greater Los Angeles area strive to change this, like Secret Forest in Burbank, where visitors and neighborhood regulars can stop in without having to make a purchase if the lounge isn’t in use for an event. One of the latest contenders to quench the thirst for third spaces is Cheerio Collective in Highland Park.
A New Beginning After Lockdown
Freshly opened in April 2025, Cheerio Collective is the brainchild of actor Lureena Thompson and her partner Griffin.
“We opened the space out of necessity, both for selfless and selfish reasons,” Lureena narrates in her interview with reporter Rachel Presser.
The necessity arose during COVID shutdowns. Hailing from Chicago’s vibrant theater scene, Lureena and countless other actors, musicians, and theater techs found their livelihoods on hold. Since Griffin was able to work remotely, the couple decided to move to LA since Lureena had bypassed brutal Chicago winters by performing in LA’s theater circuit during winters. Upon falling in love with a new home in Los Feliz, Lureena and Griffin longed for both community and a return to acting and improv as society slowly reopened.
LA certainly has a colossal improv and comedy scene, with classes and open mics for people coming out of their shells to launchpads for entertainers who hit the upper echelons of stand-up. Going beyond open mics, Lureena sought a space to do improv and comedy that could also sustain her art. Realizing she could turn her thrifting hobby into a storefront, she found an empty space on Figueroa Street in a walkable section of Highland Park extremely close to the Metro plus restaurants, bakeries, and other small shops.
Multi-Purpose Community Space in Highland Park
At Cheerio Collective, community was emphasized from day one. Lureena and Griffin handled all the renovations by themselves down to the very flooring put in, keeping the storefront’s large windows and doors open so curious onlookers could take a look at the work in progress.
“We wanted to give the Highland Park community something to root for as we worked on the renovations and got closer to the opening date.”
Coming up on their first year in operation, Cheerio Collective runs a curated storefront and hosts biweekly flea markets. The space also functions as a venue rental and performance space, in addition to Music Mondays, stand-up and improv nights, and occasional repair fairs and community days.
One of the surprising challenges in operating a third space is that there needs to be a way to regularly draw people. “It’s hard to put people in a third space without something to consume,” Lureena remarks. Whether it’s food, music, or independent flea vendors, people are now used to having to spend money or find a reason to be in a third space that they’re unsure what to do otherwise. In 2026 and onwards, Lureena hopes to host more Music Mondays, movie screenings, repair fairs, and other events. Cheerio Collective is also seeking residencies from other local businesses, with their first one being Playgrounds LA coffee and matcha pop-up.
Cheerio Collective plans to continue hosting the flea markets and Music Mondays which have been successful, host another repair fair in January 2026, and give other events a try to see what resonates with the community. If you’re in or close to Highland Park and looking for a non-corporate third space that won’t hustle you out when you’re done with your coffee, you definitely must check out Cheerio Collective.
Cheerio Collective is located on 5917 N Figueroa St between N Aves 59 and 60. The storefront is open Thursday through Sunday from 12-6PM, and the best way to stay up to date on upcoming events is through their Instagram.
