Social isolation and loneliness are widely recognised as major factors affecting mental health. In such circumstances, forming connections in third places is essential. In Japan, cafés known as ‘community cafés’ prioritise social purposes over profit. My fieldwork focused on such cafés, which bring people together and foster a sense of belonging. Yet how do these cafés actually cultivate connections? While the owner’s role in serving coffee and meals and conversing with users is important, it is not the only one. This study aimed to clarify another crucial role. At community cafés, regular users engage in behaviours rarely observed in chain cafés. These include tending the garden, making flyers, playing the ukulele, and greeting other users. Why do they engage in such behaviours? These actions stem from respect for the owner, who operates the café for the benefit of the local community rather than personal gain. Regular users recognise this, and their respect translates into support. In short, their behaviour can be understood as 'caring' for both other users and the café itself. What effects arise from this dynamic? Through such caring behaviours, users build friendships and develop a sense of belonging. Caring for others ultimately becomes a way of caring for themselves. Community cafés thus function as spaces where users care for others and, in turn, for themselves. This is made possible by owners passionately creating and sustaining the space. The owner's foundational role is therefore to create a space where people can care for one another. The chain reaction of mutual care that emerges in community cafés offers hope for the future.