, in the west of , is an expensive residential area as well as home to many upmarket retail outlets, most notably . Anyone visiting usually has a trip to somewhere near the top of their list of things to do and see - you can't go home without one of their famous green shopping bags.
set up a grocery store in the east end of way back in . However, in he was keen to get away from the centre of the city and wanted to have a store nearer to the forthcoming Great Exhibition being held in the west end of the city. Therefore he moved his store to , where it has remained ever since.
By son was running the business and had started to sell a wider range of goods and 100 people were proud to say they worked there. Their regular customers included some high profile names, such as , , and various members of the family. Now the store is internationally famous and attracts VIPs from all over the world. Indeed, every year a famous person is invited by owner fayed to officially open the annual sale, which has become an event in itself with people queuing round the block to be some of the first to get inside and snap up a bargain.
Now, we all love trivial facts and figures so here are some that may surprise you.
The store has it's own wells, three of them to be precise, and draws around gallons a year from them.
The engine room generates three quarters of all the electricity used.
There are lifts, travelling a total of miles per year. (That's roughly to , and back. Twice!)
telephone lines get calls a day.
electricians have to change light bulbs every day (energy efficient ones, I assume). The outside of the store uses light bulbs, just in case you can't find it at night.
From staff back in , today the store employs permanent staff and an extra temporary ones during the busy periods.
The distribution centre is a wonder - underground floors feeding delivery vehicles, including their first ever van from , still running today.
Back inside the shop there is the famous food hall with departments. You can find different cheeses or types of bread and scones. Surprisingly they only sell around tons of chocolate per year. That's the equivalent of about large elephants.
Finally, talking of elephants, the store famously sold one to someone who gave it to former president !