I mean, this is the concept of the "third space." They have existed throughout history and while churches are certainly one example, they are not the only example. A church (or temple or mosque or whatever) fills a certain community role as a gathering space for religious worship, but it's not the only place where you can meet and talk to people.

Come up with a third space to rival the church of old and you’ll be hailed as a cultural hero for the next millenium. Starbucks has not cut it.

Jim Rouse thought it would be the shopping mall and designed my city of residence (Columbia, MD) with the shopping mall at its center.

It was a decent bet for 1967.

American shopping malls of the mid-to-late 20th century were a decent bet, but I think they fail because a) they're very pedestrian hostile, b) they tend to be owned by a singular landlord that can enforce policies that discourage gathering, and c) they just kind of smack of artificiality. But bazaars, street markets, and other commercial areas have certainly been third-places since before long before it was a defined term. Heck, the ancient Greeks were quite proud of their agora.