In a world of branded quasi-commodity products like coffee with little barriers to entry, the social interaction — or atmosphere of the store’s community — is ultimately what

differentiates a brand and creates defensibility.

There’s a bookstore in Ginza that sells only one book. “A single room with a single book” is its tagline. Every week, the owner chooses the book, presents it in the center of the shop, and curates an exhibition with artworks, photographs, or related items around its subject matter. Entering his bookstore is like entering a book.