Mr Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead

This is the true story about the man and the dream that became the store in London we now know as "Selfridges". The store was doing something different then other shops were doing at the time of its opening .When you went into Selfridges you were welcomed into the warm interior of a huge store that had everything your heart could want or imagine, there was somewhere to eat,sit ,read ,plenty of room to wander around and take in all the fashion etc from all around the world.It was a store for shoppers! From bargain basement to upper floors where more luxurious goods were on offer ,it was a paradise for anyone who enjoyed shopping esp women. This was a store where you could have a few hours of taking in all the wonderful merchandise ,then go and have some tea and other refreshments before going home where your goods would be later delivered. You might not think that it was any different from other stores , but here the customer was always right,if you wanted to bring something back that you were unhappy with then that was perfectly fine.This in itself was unusual. This was a huge store that under it's roof contained every possible thing you could ever need and quite a few that you did not know you even wanted , it was glamorous , warm and welcoming at a time when some much needed glamour and style was needed in the lives of the people.
This book lets us know more about the man behind the shop and includes pictures of him, interior shots of the store from the early 1920's ,and his family, home etc.
We get to learn of the loves in his life, be they women or material possessions as well as the ups and downs he had in business, and the risks he took.
This was a very enjoyable book esp for those who might be interested in the history of fashion and business. An excellent read.. I can't wait to visit the store in the future now that I know it's history.
I think Mr Selfridge would have been an incredibly interesting man to have met .