London Flights - London's Sights

Harrods Department Store

Harrods is one of the few places in London that is not associated with ancient times. However, Harrods has been around for 150 years and  is one of the most well known department stores in the world and for good reason. It is spectacular and has been able to stay relevant through the ages.

The History of Harrods

Harrods has been located in its current location since 1849 and was established by Charles Henry Harrod. Harrod, a wholesale grocer, may not have seemed up to the task of building what would become the world famous Harrods, but his son, Charles Digby was certainly up for it for he was able to nurture Harrods and within 30 years of its beginning, he employed more than 100 workers.

Harrods didn’t grow without challenges; the department store was able to grow despite a terrible fire in 1883. Perseverance has enabled the store to boast the motto “Everything to Everybody Everywhere” and the store is true to its word. Harrods is known for doing things as big as flying fresh fish to Alfred Hitchcock. This isn’t considered a typical thing to do, but customer service has helped the store grow into what it is today.

A Colorful History

Harrod's undeniably has a colorful history and interesting architectural additions to the site display history where it may have been forgotten on the inside. Over time Harrods has been home to a funeral service, a library, and has even sold things as unique as airplanes and even elephants. While this is remarkable, the Harrods of today has a larger selection than ever before. Harrods underwent expansion starting in 1985 when it was purchased by the Fayed family for over a billion dollars. The new owners put many more millions into the place to bring it up to modern standards. This refurbishment was so excellent that it has not had to undergo a major redesign since.

The Harrods Experience

Tourists go to Harrods not only to buy items, but just to see what the giant department store has to offer, and who shops there.  Visitors can be quite likely to spot a celebrity at Harrods and the store has even employed some in the past, such as Pierce Brosnan before his rise to acting fame. Shopping assistants complete the experience so that you can get more than one thing done at a time.

Harrods spans seven floors and even has a bit of history, such as the first escalator in the world. Whatever you are looking for, you’ll likely be able to find it in the more than four and a half acres of store. The store has over twelve thousand light bulbs, which is hard for most of us to imagine.

If you are a lover of cheese or chocolate, Harrod's is your place and with over 300 varieties to choose from you will feel as though you are in heaven. There are also great items to buy such as a custom made Madame Tussaud’s waxwork, or even a 24 carat gold Lindt bunny! If you simply want to watch people, Harrods is a great place to visit. This is because millions of people visit every year to shop, to see exactly what Harrods is, and just to say that they have been there before. Harrods really is an experience.

To get to Harrods is quite easy especially if you travel via the Tube system. Jump on the Piccadilly Line to Knightsbridge and take the Brompton Road exit upon which you'll spot the store in all its gracious splendor.