Harrods in London, England has a long and interesting history.

The department store has been an important part of the London shopping experience for over 150 years.

Harrods occupies a 4.5 acre site on Brompton Road in the Knightsbridge area of London.

It has over 300 departments spread out over seven floors, for a massive shopping area of over one million square feet.

Charles Henry Harrod founded the store in 1849, starting in a single room with two assistants and a messenger boy, and quickly grew and expanded the business.

Harrods employed more than 100 people when tragedy struck and it burned to the ground in 1883, but was quickly rebuilt on the site and carried on with business as usual.

The store was the site of Britain’s first escalator, debuting in 1898 to thrilled and somewhat nervous crowds.

Harrods has long been a favourite among the rich and influential members of London society, and holds several royal warrants as well.

The store was bought by its current owner, Mohammad Al-Fayed in 1985, and many changes were made not least of which being the over the top gilded Egyptian themed décor.

There are two memorials in the store to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, who was the son of the owner, as well as a large waxwork replica of Mohammad Al-Fayed, which gives the store a bit of a surreal aspect.

Everything about Harrods is larger than life, extravagant, and top of the line.

Be sure to get a map when entering Harrods and expect that you will encounter crowds.

It is a very popular tourist location, with up to 30,000 people passing through its doors on busy days.

There is a souvenir room where you can buy branded items like mugs and accessories bearing the iconic gold on green Harrods logo.

The Food Hall is of special interest, with an enormous variety of teas, coffee, and fine foods from all over; there is a whole room devoted to chocolate and the meat department must be seen to be believed.

Harrods in London, England is a solid part of life in the city.

Visiting Harrods

87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, SW3 1RT

Telephone: 020 7730 1234

Opening Times

Mon to Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm

Photo courtesy: Wolfiewolf

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