Harrods is a private department store owned by Mohamed Fayed,

situated on Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London. The store

occupies a 4.5 acre site and has over one million square feet of selling
space in over 330 departments. This makes Harrods the largest
department store in the world. The Harrods motto is Omnia Omnibus
Ubique —- All Things for All People, Everywhere. Several of its
departments, including the seasonal Christmas department and the
Food Hall are world famous. One bad new for tourists- you can´t take
photos inside.

History
In the beginning Harrods was just a small grocer´s shop. It was opened in 1949 and run by Charles
Henry Harrods. His son took over and added medicines and perfumes together with fruit, flowers,
sweets and a van delivery service. Over the years, Harrods has survived a fire, two World Wars and
two bombings. In 1983, Harrods moved abroad and opened a branch in Japan and later others in Hong
Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Major European cities could see Harrods at their airport shops, too.

Products
The store's 330 departments offer a wide range of products and services.
Products on offer include clothing for every sort of customer (women,
men, children, and infants), electronics, jewellery, sporting gear, bridal
trousseau, pets and pet accessories, toys, food and drink, health and
beauty items, packaged gifts, stationery, housewares, home appliances,
furniture, and much more. They say you can buy anything here – from
matches to an elephant. A representative sample of store services
includes 28 restaurants, serving everything from high tea to tapas to pub
food to haute cuisine; a personal shopping-assistance programme known
as "By Appointment"; a watch repair service; a tailor; a dispensing pharmacy; a beauty spa and salon;
a barbers shop; Harrods Financial Services; Harrods Bank; private events planning and catering; food
delivery; or a wine steward.

Luxury
The departments, mostly called halls, are designed to amaze the visitor.
Each is in different architectonic style and devoted to a certain topic. The
opulent Egyptian-style clothing department at Harrods, for example, has
an Ancient Egyptian theme, to reflect the owner's heritage.

Staff in Harrods
Around 35,000 people visit Harrods every day. It has got 4,000 staff to look after them. It also has 8
doorman, known as “Green Men”, as well as its own fire brigade, security guards, doctors and
nurses. Harrods with its delivery men is also the official supplier of certain goods to the Royal Family
and sells and delivers everything from clothes to caviar. The Food Halls are the heart and soul of
Harrods. Not only the attractive food from all over the world, but also the shop assistant dressed in a
kind of national costumes catch the eye of the visitor.

Memorials
Since the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed,
Mohamed Fayed's son, two memorials commissioned by Fayed have
been erected inside Harrods to the couple. The first, unveiled on April
12, 1998, consists of photographs of the two behind a pyramid-shaped
display that holds a wine glass still smudged with lipstick from
Diana's last dinner as well as what is described as an engagement ring
Dodi purchased the day before they died. The second memorial,
unveiled in 2005 and located by the Egyptian escalator at door three is
titled "Innocent Victims", is a bronze statue of the two dancing on a
beach beneath the wings of an albatross. The albatross is a bird that is said to symbolize the "Holy
Spirit”. Mr Fayed said he wanted to keep the pair's "spirit alive" through the statue.

The Sales
January and July are very busy months for Harrods because they are sales
times. Over 300,000 customers visit the store on the first day alone. Many
people sleep outside the store all night to be first in when the doors open on
the first day of sales.

Language work and comprehension

Are these sentences true or false? If false, correct them.

1. All of Harrod´s departments are world famous.

2. You can visit Harrod´s in most European airports.

3. All departments are in Egyptian style.

4. You can have your watch repaired at Harrod´s.

5. Some of the staff sleep outside the store all night.

Vocabulary work
Fill in the words from the list and then make sentences using the completed phrases.

1. to ---------------------- a shop

2. his son ------------------- over

3. to ------------------- a fire took busy survive

4. the ---------------- Halls engagement run

Food
5. ------------------ months

6. ------------------ ring