Selfridges: A Store of Stories
Future historians will probably refer to the early 21st Century as the Navel-Gazing era, using selfies, social media and the Selfridges: Store of Stories as an alliterative trio to highlight our fascination with examining ourselves in detail whilst in the midst of living it. Then again, when you have over a hundred years of often groundbreaking history, why wouldn’t you proudly showcase it? Obviously I’m referring to Selfridges. My selfies aren’t that old!
Located on the 4th floor between the restaurants and the Christmas Shop, this mini “museum” is a perfect hideaway for fans of Mr. Selfridge, or those who just want to keep their brains engaged while their other half browses the racks. Retail Marketers and trivia buffs will love the facts and anecdotes covering various milestones in the Selfridges story. It’s mostly text and photos but a few interesting artefacts, like a 1929 cookery book, make me curious to see what else is in their archives. There’s also an entire section dedicated to ‘The Showman of Shopping’ himself, Harry Gordon Selfridge.
At this point a lot of my readers are probably thinking: “Wait a minute… what’s this got to do with art?” From their Art Deco lifts (now in the Museum of London) to many in-store innovations that changed the retail landscape, Selfridges was arguably one of the earliest organisations that understood the importance of an immersive experience. 100 years ago, Harry Selfridge utilised the concept to lure you to shop. Nowadays, people willingly pay in advance in order to have an immersive experience. Arguably, not much has changed, and Selfridges is still free entry!
Also, art lovers may especially be fascinated with the section that looks back at collaborations with some notable contemporary names. Tracey Emin, Yayoi Kusama, David LaChapelle, Marc Quinn and Sam Taylor-Wood are just a few who have partnered with the store.
I’ve no idea how long this mini museum has been here, nor how much longer it’ll last*. With the holiday season upon us, Londoners will probably find themselves on Oxford Street sooner or later. If you need a wee or a culture break that won’t cost you a thing, pop in to Selfridges and be sure to explore their quirky little celebration to themself.
Plan your visit:
Free!
Visit selfridges.com for store hours — and The Selfridges Story page on their site has more info about the company and it’s achievements.
The Selfridges Wikipedia page has a more neutral take on the history of the store, but this Everyday Tourist blog post with tons of photos was clearly written by a true fan of the shop.
* If their Press Office ever replies to my inquiry, I’ll update this review.