History Of Harrods

By Author: Carolyn Clayton
Total Articles: 129
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Harrods is one of the world's most famous and largest department stores. The store located in Brompton Road in Knightsbridge attracts an astonishing 15 million visitors every single year. It sells luxury and normal everyday items which are spread across a whopping 90,000 square feet. In May of 2010 its then owner Mohammed Al Fayed sold the store for a cool £1.5bn to the Qatari royal family.

Originally the store was established in 1849 by Charles Henry Harrod, which is where the name comes from. It started off in a single room and employed just two assistants and a messenger boy. At that time it mainly just sold tea and groceries. In 1861 the store underwent a transformation when it was taken over by Harrod's son, Charles Digby Harrod. Over the next 30 years the store expanded into the busy successful department store it still is today. Clothes, perfumes and medicine were added to the store which soon attracted wealthy customers. By 1880 the store had acquired the adjoining buildings and employed one hundred people by.

However in 1883 a fire destroyed the store which could have meant the end of Harrods but ...
... the owners rebuilt the store into what it is today. The fire could have been the end for the store but Charles was undeterred and sent letters to all his customers telling them their orders were delayed due to the fire but would be sent out as soon as possible. He actually made a record profit that year. The store was rebuilt on a much grander scale with the help of architect Charles William Stephens.

In the November of 1898 it featured one of the world's first escalators. Because this was such a new radical way of getting from floor to floor Charles offered his nervous customers brandy at the top of the escalators to revive them after their 'ordeal' at it were

The now famous department store was bought by the Fayed brothers in 1985. The IRA bombed Harrods twice, the first was a car bomb which exploded in 1983 and killed six people and 75 injured. The second bomb was placed in a rubbish bin outside the building which injured four people in 1993.

When Al Fayed's son died in the same car crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales, Mr Al Fayed created a memorial to the couple in the Harrods store.

To this very day Harrods attracts millions of visitors each year. If you fancy visiting the store be warned that the store have has very strict rules on dress. If your wearing jeans, shorts or leggings the porters – known as the 'Green Men' will kick you out. Those that have never been to Harrods are in for a real treat. The interior is pretty amazing and each part of the store has been fitted out with sumptuous decorations which are worth a visit if nothing else.
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