Harry Gordon Selfridge, Sr. (11 January 1858 ? 8 May 1947) ^[1] was an American - British business owner . He founded the London -based department store Selfridges . He was one of the most respected and wealthy retail businessmen in the United Kingdom .

Early life [ change | change source ]

Selfridge was born in Ripon , Wisconsin . ^[2] Selfridge was raised in Jackson , Michigan . Selfridge's parents were Robert Oliver Selfridge and his wife Lois. They had three sons. ^[3] His father fought in the American Civil War . He was a major in the Union Army . ^[3] After he was discharged, he did not come back to the family. ^[3]

Both of Selfridge's brothers died young. His mother taught school . From the age of 10, Harry began working. He sold newspapers to help his mother. Later he stocked shelves at a dry goods store.

Career [ change | change source ]

When he was 21, Selfridge went to Chicago . He worked for Field, Leiter and Company. This later became Marshall Field's & Co. He worked there for 25 years. ^[4] Selfridge started the idea of a bargain basement in a department store. Selfridge's ideas added to the success of Marshall Field & Company. When he asked Marshall Field to let him become a partner , Field was surprised, but he agreed. ^[5] Field even lent him the money needed to become a partner.

After visiting England, Selfridge decided to open his own department store in London . ^[6] In 1909, his store opened on Oxford Street . It brought about many changes in shopping. It is still a big store today. Selfridges & Co. was named the Best Department Store in the World in 2010 and 2012. ^[7] and 2014.

Personal life [ change | change source ]

In 1890, Selfridge married Rose Buckingham. Her family was wealthy and influential. Rose was a property developer when she married. She died of the Spanish flu in 1918. Harry never married again, even though he had several girlfriends.

Death [ change | change source ]

Selfridge died of pneumonia in Putney , London , aged 89.

Writings [ change | change source ]

Selfridge wrote the book The Romance of Commerce. He used a ghostwriter to help him write it. The book was published in 1918.

References [ change | change source ]

1. ↑ "Harry Gordon Selfridge" . Encyclopedia Britannica . Retrieved 6 August 2013 .
2. ↑ The Yankee Who Taught Britishers That 'the Customer Is Always Right' , Milwaukee Journal, 7 September 1932,
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Lindy Woodhead, Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge (New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2012), p. 5
4. ↑ Harry Gordon Selfridge. (2014). In Encyclopædia Britannica . Web. Retrieved on May 20, 2014.
5. ↑ Soucek, G. Marshall Field's: The Store that Helped Build Chicago . The History Press, 2011. Web. 20 May 2014.
6. ↑ Ask Geofrey . Dir. Erica Gunderson. Perf. Geoffrey Baer. WTTW, 19 Mar. 2014. Mr. Selfridge, Firehouses, & Revolving Doors . Web. 20 May 2014.
7. ↑ "Our Heritage." Selfridges & Co. , n.d. Web. 20 May 2014.

Other websites [ change | change source ]

• Selfridges
• Gordon Selfridge: The Gambler Archived 2012-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
• Biography from the DNB ^{[ permanent dead link ]}

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