“ SELFRIDGE’S ”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2502, 15 May 1909, Page 2

“ SELFRIDGE’S ”

A HUGE UNDERTAKING

LONDON, March 19. An American dry goods merchant has set out to conquor London in a manner truly Napoleonic. The opening of Selfridgo’s great emporium in Oxford Street t-o May has been the event of the week in the Metropolis. Money has flowed like Avater in advertising the new venture, and I hear that no less than a quarter of a million pounds is being spent in this way. The name Selfridge has met one’s eve for days past in every neAvspaper, standing out in all the boldness of full-page advertisement. Each day there has been a series of wonderful neAV cartoons, depicting the glories of Selfridge’s, and on tho opening day a page of the “Times” welcomed the public to the new emporium in bwenty-six different languages ! No fewer than 600,000 personal invitations were sent throughout the land. As ai resxilt of advertising on this colossal scale. Selfridge’s on the opening day was the most popular sight in London. It is estimated that 200,000 people visited the new building in the course of the day. Selfridge’s has been described a-s the most classic commercial building in the world. It stands four-square, with great classic columns rising on every side from the ground floor to the roof. It has dignity and spaciousness, and forms a towering land-mark on the road from Bond Street to tho Marble Arch. Selfridge’s sells everything except provisions and wines, and is to be run on American lines to some extent, though modified, of course, to suit English conditions. No shopwalker advanced to meet the customer on entering the doorway with a “What can I do for you?” but instead visitors are invited to Avander at will all o\*er the great emporium. There are plenty of attendants to direct them to tho various departments, but none Ayill press- them to buy. Another American feature is tlici plentiful supply of telephones all over the building. On the third floor arc reception rooms for visitors, decorated in different stylos. Colonial visitors are invited to make free use of the colonial room, and separate reception rooms are reserved for American, French and German visitors. An interpreter’s room has been set apart for foreign visitors. There is a “rest” room for ladies and a room in Avliioli a trained nurse is constantly in attendance to provide first aid to the sick. Railway and steamship ticket offices, a bureau dc change, a library, information desk, post and telegraph office, and theatre booking office all find places on the third floor, and a hairdressing saloon is at the service of customers. On the fourth floor there are suites of restaurants, and_for summer weather a roof-garden is at the disposal of visitors.

The brain behind all this great organisation and outlay 13 an American one; Mr. Selfridge was born fifty-one years ago in a little farm house in Wisconsin, and his first job was that of errand boy in a country store. Later on ho started a monthly noAvspaper of his oAvn, and ran the whole slioav. Then he took to banking, studied IaAV, and at twenty-one went back to the drapery trade, starting as clerk in a big Chicago house. He rose to be a. member of the firm, a director, and .the manager of the entire retail business —a business running into many millions sterling a year. Finally even Chicago got too small for Mr. Self ridge. After buying a shop. of liis own there, he sold out in six months at a profit of £50,000. and laid his plans for the conquest of the greatest city in tho world. Selfridge’s in Oxford Street is the result. “Probably every merchant in tho world,” says he, “whd has stood on a London street corner and watched the swarming throngs of people has wanted to sell merchandise to them. I liavo

this ambition. Money-making is not my prime' object. If it Avere- my effort would be unnecessary. I am here because my nature craves for the largest and most useful service of which I am capable.”