The Crushing Weight Of Empty Spaces

Garth Beyer

There’s a unique kind of heartbreak that happens when you step into a massive venue—a beer garden, an arcade, a stadium—only to find it eerily empty.

The lights are on. The sound system hums. The infrastructure promises an experience. But instead of electric energy, you get the hollow echo of something that should be exciting but isn’t.

Why Empty Spaces Feel So Wrong

  • Expectation vs. Reality: Big spaces signal big things—crowds, chaos, an atmosphere that vibrates with life. When they’re empty, the contrast is devastating.
  • Energy is Contagious: People feed off of people. A packed bar makes the beer taste better. A concert with a full pit feels louder. A game with a roaring crowd feels more intense.
  • The Fear of Missing Out (Or Not): If a space is meant to be buzzing but isn’t, the immediate thought is: Why isn’t anyone here? And worse—Did I make a mistake by coming?

How to Overcome The Empty Space Dilemma In Marketing & Venue Strategy

  1. Shrink the Space: If your venue is oversized for the crowd, close sections off. Don’t let the emptiness stretch. Create density. Funnel people into areas where their energy collides and builds. Use furniture, lighting, and decor to redefine the space so it feels full, not abandoned.
  2. Focus on Time-Based Energy: Anchor experiences around peak times. If you know a certain window will be slow, create activations—happy hours, small events, surprise-and-delight moments to keep momentum. Control pacing. A bar that trickles customers in over five hours feels dead, but a concentrated two-hour rush makes it feel alive.
  3. Curate the Vibe: Lighting and sound are psychological weapons. Dim, warm lighting can make a sparse room feel intimate rather than empty.
    Music matters. Don’t let a quiet space feel cavernous—use sound to fill in the gaps.
    Staff energy should match the ideal vibe. A disengaged bartender in an empty bar makes it worse. A lively, interactive staff member helps counteract the void.
  4. Lean Into Exclusivity: Make small gatherings feel intentional. Frame the intimacy as a VIP experience rather than a failure to fill the room.
    If demand isn’t high, manufacture scarcity. Limited availability creates a sense of urgency instead of disappointment.
  5. Use Social Proof to Overcome the Void: Show past energy. Big screens looping past events, crowd shots, and experiences help people see the potential of the space rather than its current emptiness. Encourage content creation. The more people document their experience, the more they create the illusion of fullness for future guests.

Empty Spaces Are a Marketing Problem, Not Just a Logistics One

A half-full beer garden is a brand killer. A silent arcade is a tragedy. A lifeless stadium is a betrayal of expectation. People don’t just crave a great product or a great space—they crave the feeling of being somewhere great.

That feeling? It’s your job to create.

Stay Positive & Become A Space Master (We Need You To)

Garth Beyer
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