{"id":10887,"date":"2022-11-03T14:11:43","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T14:11:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/harrods-london\/"},"modified":"2024-05-16T13:56:55","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T13:56:55","slug":"harrods-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/harrods-london\/","title":{"rendered":"Harrods in London"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Welcome to heaven on earth for shopping aficionados! With its hundreds of boutiques, each more luxurious than the last, Harrods is the largest of London’s department stores!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain\u2019s tip<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Want to know more about the history of London?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses highly recommends this free guided tour of the capital<\/a><\/mark>. It\u2019s up to you to choose how much you wish to tip the tour guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for a hotel in London?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s article: Where to stay in London? Advice & recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Brief history of Harrods in London<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origins of Harrods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The history of Harrods begins in the early 19th<\/sup> century. In 1834, Charles Henry Harrod, a tea wholesaler, opened a grocery store in the East End, a poor district of London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1849, he moved his store to Brompton Road in Knightsbridge. Over the years, he gradually bought up the commercial premises in the vicinity to expand his store. In 1861, his son, Charles Digby Harrod, succeeded him at the head of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On November 6, 1883, Harrods was destroyed in a fire. The following year, a larger store was built on the same site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expansion and modernization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1889, the company was sold to Alfred James Newton, who quickly took it public. At the turn of the century, major renovations and enlargements were carried out. In the late 19th<\/sup> century, Newton had an “inclined rolling plan” installed (the ancestor of the modern escalator): it was a first in a department store!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1914, the company opened a new store… in Buenos Aires! (The Argentinian store closed in 1998 and no longer exists) The company also bought up a number of other London department stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harrods from the 50’s to the 80’s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the late 1950s, the company was acquired by the parent company of House of Fraser. It continued to expand the store and grow its reputation around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 70’s and 80’s, the store was the target of several attacks by the IRA (Irish Republican Army).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harrods since the 1980s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 1985, Harrods was bought by the Al-Fayed family and separated from House of Fraser. The new owners further expanded the store and created theEgyptian Hall<\/em>, adorned with bas-reliefs and statues in marble and bronze rococo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1998, Dodi Al-Fayed, son of the CEO of Harrods, disappeared in the car accident that also caused the death of his companion, Lady Diana. Her father had a memorial installed in the Knightsbridge store in honor of the couple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2010, Harrods was acquired by the investment fund Qatar Holdings, owned by the Emirate of Qatar. They installed a new Art Nouveau style escalator and continued to develop the now legendary store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Harrods<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A few figures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Harrods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n