



London: Selfridges Oxford Street
Operating Hours:Monday - Saturday: 10:00 - 22:00. Sunday: 11:30 - 18:00 (browsing from 11:00)
The Vibe:Oxford Street's flagship since 1909.
Harry Gordon Selfridge opened his Oxford Street department store in 1909, revolutionising British retail with American-style display and the slogan 'the customer is always right'. Its Grade II* listed Edwardian façade anchors the western end of Oxford Street.
Window displays are an art form — elaborate, seasonal, internationally reported. Beauty halls buzz with perfume testing; the food hall opens onto Oxford Street. Escalators rise through six floors under a listed Edwardian ceiling.
- • Opened in 1909 by American retail visionary Harry Gordon Selfridge
- • Britain's second-largest department store by retail space
- • Grade II* listed Edwardian building, 540,000 square feet of retail
- • Holds multiple Royal Warrants and is consistently ranked among the world's top luxury stores
Persona Fit
- 👨👩👧 Families: Toy Department and food hall provide broad appeal
- 💕 Couples: Christmas window displays are a London ritual
- 👵 Seniors: Full lift access; seating throughout; concierge services
- 📸 Photographers: Seasonal window displays and the Edwardian façade
Highlights
- Window displays — seasonal installations, frequently art-directed events
- Selfridges Food Hall — ground floor, with oyster bar and champagne counter
- Beauty Hall — 120,000 square feet, one of the largest in the world
- Second-floor womenswear — European designer brands and emerging talent
- Selfridges Accessories — luxury handbags, watches, fine jewellery
- Rooftop garden — seasonal pop-up bar above the store — Hidden Gem

Sarah Riches
Our London Local Expert
Table of Contents
Things To Do Nearby
Hyde Park — royal park, 10 minutes south via Marble Arch
Oxford Street — major shopping street continues east to Oxford Circus
Wigmore Hall — classical music venue, five minutes north
Wallace Collection — free art museum in Hertford House, 10 minutes north
Hyde Park — royal park, 10 minutes south via Marble Arch
Oxford Street — major shopping street continues east to Oxford Circus
Wigmore Hall — classical music venue, five minutes north
Wallace Collection — free art museum in Hertford House, 10 minutes north
TJ's Guide - Selfridges Oxford Street
Know Before You Go
Insider Tips
Best Time: Weekday mornings for calm browsing; Sunday afternoons for family visits
Hack: Christmas windows unveiled early November — arrive in the week after for less crowd
Hidden Gem: The rooftop bar opens seasonally with Oxford Street views
Selfridges Food Hall is a credible lunch option — quality without department store pricing
Personal shopping is free and available on advance booking
Best Time: Weekday mornings for calm browsing; Sunday afternoons for family visits
Hack: Christmas windows unveiled early November — arrive in the week after for less crowd
Hidden Gem: The rooftop bar opens seasonally with Oxford Street views
Selfridges Food Hall is a credible lunch option — quality without department store pricing
Personal shopping is free and available on advance booking
Know Your Facts
- Closest Tube: Bond Street (Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth), direct exit opposite
- Alternative: Marble Arch (Central), five-minute walk west
- Main entrance: Oxford Street, with a side entrance on Duke Street
- First-time tip: The Bond Street Elizabeth line exit opens directly opposite Selfridges
Once You Reach
Internal Navigation
Six floors: Lower Ground (men's), Ground (beauty, food), First (women), Second (menswear/accessories), Third (kids/home), Fourth (restaurants)
Venue map: Free at main entrance; Selfridges app for navigation
Signage: Clear throughout; escalator spine through the centre
Accessibility: Lifts to all floors; step-free throughout
Efficient route: Beauty Hall on entry, escalator to womenswear, browse one specialist floor, exit via Oxford Street
Food & Coffee Shops
Selfridges Food Hall: Ground-floor gourmet groceries and take-out
Brasserie of Light (fourth floor): Full-service brasserie with Oxford Street views
Alain Ducasse Coffee (Selfridges): Paris-quality coffee counter
Selfridges Food Hall: Ground-floor gourmet groceries and take-out
Brasserie of Light (fourth floor): Full-service brasserie with Oxford Street views
Alain Ducasse Coffee (Selfridges): Paris-quality coffee counter
Photography Tips
Exterior photography permitted; window displays are designed to be photographed
Christmas windows benefit from long-exposure tripod shots at night
Beauty Hall's escalators and atrium work well with wide-angle compositions
Photography restricted inside some designer boutiques — check signage
Exterior photography permitted; window displays are designed to be photographed
Christmas windows benefit from long-exposure tripod shots at night
Beauty Hall's escalators and atrium work well with wide-angle compositions
Photography restricted inside some designer boutiques — check signage
Explore Deeper
Harry Gordon Selfridge, a former Marshall Field's executive from Chicago, brought American retail innovations to London in 1909. His window displays, handbag counter at eye level, and slogan 'the customer is always right' transformed British retail. The store survived wartime bombing and several ownership changes to remain one of the world's most famous flagship stores.
Selfridge opened the store on 15 March 1909 with innovative American retail concepts including publicly accessible counters (British shops had always kept goods behind counters)
The store was the first in Britain to allow customers to handle goods before purchasing — revolutionary for its time
The Oxford Street frontage was extended in sections between 1920 and 1928 by John Burnet and Albert Bromley; the final building's Grade II* listing reflects both architectural quality and retail history
Selfridges was purchased in 2022 by the Austrian Signa Holding; the Qatari Investment Authority had held it since 2019
Selfridge opened the store on 15 March 1909 with innovative American retail concepts including publicly accessible counters (British shops had always kept goods behind counters)
The store was the first in Britain to allow customers to handle goods before purchasing — revolutionary for its time
The Oxford Street frontage was extended in sections between 1920 and 1928 by John Burnet and Albert Bromley; the final building's Grade II* listing reflects both architectural quality and retail history
Selfridges was purchased in 2022 by the Austrian Signa Holding; the Qatari Investment Authority had held it since 2019
Did You Know?
Public engagement — Selfridge built a replica of Blériot's plane on the shop floor after the 1909 Channel crossing
Christmas windows — A London tradition with dedicated unveiling events
Retail innovation — The slogan 'the customer is always right' was coined by Selfridge
War survival — The store survived Luftwaffe bombing in 1940 and 1941







