Harrods of London: we have everything you want!
Harrods of London is one the most luxurious department stores in the world.
My London adventure continues. After visiting One Hyde Park, it’s time to shop at the famous Harrods store – one of the most exclusive and luxurious department stores in the world. A walk around this seven-storey building and some shopping is a must for every tourist visiting the English capital. So, having visited it, I decided to share some Harrods-related trivia with you.
300 departments
One can buy pretty much everything at Harrods. The most expensive alcohols, the most beautiful jewelry, clothes from the most famous designers, and even the most delicious donuts. There are 300 departments here which – according to the Latin motto of the institution “Omnia omnibus ubique” meaning “we have everything you want” – offer clients a wide range of the most luxurious items.
The best district
Harrods is located on Brompton Road in the district of Knightsbridge, less than 300 meters from the One Hyde Park complex I described a few days ago. The location is not a coincidence – Knightsbridge is the most expensive London district.
Dress code for customers
Every year, Harrods is visited by millions of customers, some of them with very fat wallets. Due to its clientele, in 1989 the store introduced restrictions on visitors’ attire. Harrods does not tolerate flip-flops, sandals, clothes that reveal more than cover or vulgar and indecent lettering on T-shirts. The staff will also ask you to leave if you have a backpack too big. 
Nearly 200 years of history
The founder of Harrods was Charles Henry Harrod, a modest merchant who opened his first store in 1824 on the south bank of the Thames, in Southwark. In the mid-19th century, due to the World Exposition taking place in Hyde Park, he moved his shop to the place where it is currently located. Not many people know that it was here, in 1898, where the first escalator in Great Britain was installed.
Cobra snake security agent
In 2007, Harrods had a very interesting item on sale: a pair of sandals gemmed with rubies and diamonds designed by Rene Caovilla with a price tag of 62,000.00 GBP. To prevent theft, the store management came up with a very unusual idea and hired… a live cobra snake as their security agent.
12,000 light bulbs
In the evenings, the Harrods façade is illuminated by thousands of light bulbs which make the building look spectacular. Rumor has it that every day the shop janitors need to exchange as many as 300 of them. The store’s lighting was turned off only once, after the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed who was son of the former owner of Harrods.
