Harrods London

The history of Harrods dates back to 1849 when Charles Henry Harrod assumed control of a small shop in London, at the site of the current Harrods. His son, Charles Digby Harrod took the business to success by selling medication, cologne, stationery and grocery items. Thereafter, Harrods underwent an aggressive expansion plan by acquiring the neighboring buildings and by having a staff of 100 employees by 1880. Unfortunately, in December 1883 the store burnt to the ground but this did not stop Charles Harrod, who still managed to make a record profit for the store that year. A new Harrods store was constructed on the same site and thereafter the store began its first credit extension program for the most valued customers. Included on this list were Oscar Wilde, Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier and British Royalty. In 1985, the Fayed brothers took over the ownership of Harrods. In 2010, Qatar Holdings purchased Harrods for £1.5 billion.

Today, Harrods sells a varied selection of products and services, including clothes for all, electronics, jewelry, sportswear, wedding attire, pets and pet products, toys, groceries, gifts, kitchenwares, items for the home, appliances and furnishings. Services include dining, tailoring services, pharmacies, beauty shops, hairdressers, financial services, banking and much more.

Travelers from all over the world come to shop at Harrods or just to get a glimpse of the store, inside and out. Harrods sees 300,000 customers during busy days and has more than 5,000 employees from more than 50 countries.

Harrods has a wide collection of real animal fur products and clothing. No other department store throughout Britain carries fur so it is not uncommon to see someone taking a photo while posing beside the fur collection.

If you visit Harrods, make sure to drop by the memorials of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Al-Fayed, which are located inside the store. The memorials include photographs, an engagement ring bought by Dodi and a bronze statue of both.