Manhattan has Macy's; London has Selfridges. With 540,000 sq. ft. of selling space, the flagship Selfridges & Co. department store is still one of the biggest stores in the world and one of the top shops on London's posh Oxford Street. Selfridges also runs two smaller department stores in Manchester and a fourth location in Birmingham. The upmarket retailer sells a wide selection of brand-name fashion apparel, accessories, and housewares, but it aims to entertain as well with 15 in-store bars, cafés, and restaurants and a nearby 250-room, four-star hotel. Founded in 1909 by Gordon Selfridge.

Selfridges was bought by its current chairman, Galen Weston, in 2003. He and his wife Hilary are closely involved with the development and growth of the company and their daughter Alannah is creative director.

Mr Weston is also chairman of Wittington Investments, one of the premier luxury retail groups in Europe and Canada, which includes Holt Renfrew, Selfridges and Brown Thomas.

Allan Leighton was appointed deputy chairman in January 2004.

Paul Kelly became chief executive of Selfridges in February 2004, after ten years as managing director of Brown Thomas in Dublin. He has worked with the Weston family for over 20 years.