Gaze in from the street at No. 502 and you¡¯ll find plenty to tempt you inside. There¡¯s a gleaming refrigerator stacked full of wine; an appetizing takeout selection in the deli display case; a bright, modern interior; and a cozy wooden counter by the open kitchen that invites you to linger with a glass or two and some nibbles.
Occupying an old, two-story house that¡¯s been artfully stripped down inside to reveal its wooden pillars, beams and stairs, then refurbished and remodeled, No. 502¡¯s sophistication feels incongruous in the old-school residential backstreets of suburban Setagaya Ward. But that has not deterred the clientele, who have beaten a path to its door since it opened last November.
No. 502 is a perfect example of the recent fashion for wine stores with wine bars attached. In Japanese they¡¯re known as ¡°neo kaku-uchi,¡± referencing the traditional term for liquor stores where customers can drink their retail purchases on-site.
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