It's easy to be cynical about Point et Ligne, a boutique bakery that sells staple food at gastronomic prices. Loaves for ¥2,500 under the moody lighting of a jazz club? Clutch your purse and approach with skepticism.
But there's good reason the Marunouchi, Tokyo store is drawing up to 1,000 customers per day. Designer Shinji Saito has created a layout to lure you in and lull your senses. His colossal mock-iron door exploits its location in a corner of the Shin Marunouchi Building's basement. Cracked wide enough to welcome you but not enough to reveal the merchandise, the entrance demands closer inspection, and there's no hint of a bakery about it.
Even inside, it's not immediately apparent that you're in a bread shop. The spacious 181-sq.-meter store is spot-lit with LEDs for a warm ambience, and the minimalist, natural decor of wood and tufa stone would make for an elegant restaurant.