I am surprised that nobody came up with median algebras. That is, algebras that are equipped with a single ternary (fundamental) operation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_algebra for a definition and some references). They generalize distributive lattices since the median function $(x \vee y) \wedge (y \vee z) \wedge (z \vee x)$ of any distributive lattice gives rise to a median algebra. However, the concept is more subtle and the category of median algebras is not equivalent to that of distributive lattices.

Median algebras are also interesting since they have beautiful duality with so-called Isbell spaces (first described by, you guessed correclty, John Isbell). That is, bounded Priestley spaces that are also equipped with certain (unary) complement operation.

I am surprised that nobody came up with median algebras. That is, algebras that are equipped with a single ternary (fundamental) operation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_algebra for a definition and some references). They generalize distributive lattices since the median function $(x \vee y) \wedge (y \vee z) \wedge (z \vee x)$ of any distributive lattice gives rise to a median algebra. Although median algebras still have many of the nice properties of distributive laticces, the concept is more subtle and the category of median algebras is not equivalent to that of distributive lattices. So the idea of having this single ternary fundamental operation really gives you something new and, at least in my oppinion, very interesting to look at.

To support my case: One might also be interested in Median algebras since they have beautiful duality with so-called Isbell spaces, first described by, you guessed correclty, John Isbell (the reference is given in the wikipedia article mentioned above). An Isbell space is a bounded Priestley spaces that is also equipped with certain (unary) complement operation.