For 50 years, the Spectacles Museum in Tokyo has been the most iconic place to go shopping for eyeglasses and sunglasses and one of the most Instagram-worthy places in the Japanese capital. Although this was once a simple warehouse, it became a giant advertisement for the products being sold inside. What really put the Spectacles Museum on the map is its unique facade, which consists of thousands of pairs of colorful sunglasses attached to a giant metal frame. It was meant to attract attention, and that’s exactly what it did, in time becoming one of the main tourist attractions. When owner Yutaka Takai first opened the shop, he operated as a wholesaler of miscellaneous goods, but as businesses began dealing directly with manufacturers, wholesale became less profitable, so he decided to focus on eyewear and to make sure his store stood out. Heavily investing in marketing, Takei decorated the store front with thousands of sunglasses, even making deals with tour operators to bring tourists by. Aside from the unique decor, the Spectacles Museum is also famous for its incredibly low prices, with eyeglasses selling for as little as ¥300 ($2.00). Takei is able to keep his prices low by picking up discontinued items in bulk for cents on the dollar. The huge inventory — 120,000 pairs on site at any given time — makes the Spectacles Museum the go-to place for eyewear.
