The store opened on 15th March 1909 and the West End had never seen anything like it. Selfridges was opened using capital from another London store owner, Sam Waring of Waring and Gillow located further east in Oxford Street, on condition that Selfridges did not sell furniture.’
When opening the department store, his vision was to showcase things whose novelty and uniqueness could delight and excite his customers.
Three years after opening, a roof garden was added, followed in 1913 by a ‘seaside’ children’s play area. After a slow start, the store proved highly successful, generating in 1914 profits of £131,546.
The first public demonstration of television was made here by John Logie Baird in 1925.
,
Selfridges was acquired by the Sears Group in 1965 and in 1998, it de-merged and listed itself on the London Stock Exchange.
In 2004, it was reregistered as a private company known as Selfridges & Co.
History of Selfridges department store London
