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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Selfridges
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(London W1) Major department store on Oxford Street, unlike nearly all others in that it was established from the very beginning on the grandest scale. It was built in 1908–9 by an American, Gordon Selfridge (1857–1947), whose architects provided an open-plan steel structure behind a façade of massive Ionic columns. Selfridge had 1300 retail staff on the premises for two months before opening and he spent a fortune (£36,000) on newspaper advertisements to launch the venture. His bold marketing techniques included several innovations in Britain – such as bargain basements and annual sales.
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