Selfridges Department Store in Oxford Street, London
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This page will provide you with an overview to Selfridges, helping you to gain an understanding of what they offer before your trip there. You will find photographs, opening times and contact details. You will also find a guide to what each floor offers, details of the eating and drinking options in the department store and tips on how to make the most of a trip to Selfridges.
What to expect from a trip to Selfridges and what makes the store special
Selfridges department store offers a youthful and vibrant alternative to shops like Harrods department store. Selfridges is more than just your average shop - it is a complete experience. You will often find that during your trip to Selfridges, there are special events taking place. This could be anything from a cookery demonstration to a DJ spinning tunes to a fashion show. If you would like to see whether there will be any events taking place during your visit you can check the official website. Head to the Events Page of the Official Selfridges website and check the events that are taking place in the London branch of the Selfridges store.
There is something here to suit a cross-section of visitor's tastes and budgets. Depending on what you are after you can buy some stilettos from Jilly Choo or from Topshop. You can have lunch at Hix champagne bar or at EAT sandwich shop. You can head to the Wonder Room to marvel at some of the world's most expensive designer jewellery and then head to the accessories department next door to treat yourself to a few pieces that come with two rather than six-figure sums. In the cosmetics department, alongside the Chanel and Clinique make-up, you will find more affordable and more youthful options like MAC and Benefit.
Selfridges is a long-established department store - it first opened on 15th March 1909. It was the first fully-fledged department store in London - before this, stores grew from being a specialist shop into somewhere that was multi-purpose. Selfridges was built with the intention of being multi-purpose.
Selfridges are known for offering luxury products. The store's product selection is aimed at offering one of the best of everything for all budgets - there should be something here for everyone. This was Selfridges' aim when the shop first opened. The store was first owned by an American from Chicago - Gordon Selfridge. On the day that the store was opened, Gordon Selfridge gave keys to the first customers who came through the doors to indicate all were welcome here. The store has continued with this ethos to this day.
It specialises in offering everything! Whether you want to buy cigars, designer shoes, a quick sarnie, a guidebook or typically British crockery, you will find it here under one roof. Selfridges has the largest women's shoe department in the whole world. There is an area in the Wonder Room (the designer jewellery department) called the Concept store. This is a store that has a new theme on a monthly basis. Themes have covered everything from 90s vintage to Fornasetti crockery. This area is free to enter and is worth a look around regardless of whether you intend on actually buying anything. There is also an art gallery called Ultra Lounge. It is 3500 square feet of exhibition space and is located in the basement of the building. There are 5 - 6 different exhibitions there every year. It is also free to enter.
There are lots of book signings at Selfridges. Ones in the past have included Mariah Carey and Roberto Cavalli. Check out the 'What's On' page on the official website link below to see what might be on during your visit.
Also, don't forget to check out the window displays on your way in or out of the shop. Particularly at Christmas, but also throughout the year, Selfridges are famous for offering some of the lavish and creative window displays in the whole city.
Plan of the store
If you walk into Selfridges and suddenly feel slightly overwhelmed by the size and variety, never fear. Here we have listed for you what to find on each floor of the building (you will find the shops listed with the eateries underneath - see below for details on the restaurants and cafes). Also, if you are feeling lost once you arrive at the store, simply ask a member of staff about what you are looking for, and they will point you in the right direction. At the bottom of each set of escalators, you will find a member of staff whose job is to help customers find what they are looking for in the shop - they will point you in the right direction. Here is a plan for the whole Selfridges store:
Lower Ground Floor: Music Department, Technology Department, Book Shop, Luggage Shop, Bureau de Change, Travel Agents, Christmas Shop, Home Accessories Store, Customer Services, Wedding Shop, Shoe Repairs, Cook Shop, Key Cutting and Engraving.
Frankie's Italian Bar and Grill
Yellow Café
Ground Floor: Pharmacy, Women's Street Fashion Store, Women's Accessories, Fragrances, Beauty Department, Fashion Jewellery section, Concept Store space, Sunglasses shop, Wine and Cigar Shop, Confectionary department, Stationery shop, Gift Wrapping service, Food hall, Watch repairs.
The Brass Rail
Hix Champagne Bar
Hix restaurant.
First Floor: Men's Street Fashion store, Men's Casual department, Men's underwear, Barbers and Grooming, Men's Formal department, Men's shoes, Men's designer, Men's Contemporary.
Gordon's Café.
Second Floor: Shoe Galleries, Womenswear department, Women's Designer shop, Personal Shopper service.
Obika Mozarella Bar
Aubaine Restaurant.
Third Floor: Womenswear Department, Kids section, Women's Hair and Beauty salon, Swimwear department and Lingerie.
Fourth Floor: Furniture and Lighting Department, Toy Shop, Bed linen shop, Bath shop, Opticians, Beds Department.
Starbucks
Food Garden café.
Places to eat
Selfridges has enough eateries behind its doors to keep you trying new places for a week! On each floor of the department store, you will find at least one restaurant, bar or café. The store provides for a wide variety of tastes and budgets, meaning that you can pop in for a quick coffee in the penthouse Starbucks or head for a slap-up lunch in the Hix restaurant. Here we have listed each place to eat, with a description and links to an official website where you can find out more about prices, opening times and menu.
Hix Restaurant and Champagne Bar: Mark Hix is a famous British chef. He is known for serving traditional local food, but often with a fancy twist. You can head to the Restaurant and Champagne Bar for tea, lunch, brunch or simply some oysters, caviar and champagne.
Aubaine: Aubaine is a contemporary French bistro that sits in the very heart of Selfridges. It is a place that has been designed to help you relax and refuel after a hard morning of shopping. Head here for salads, coffees or a more laid-back three-course lunch. For details, see the Official Aubaine Website
Frankie's Bar and Grill: This is a traditional old-style Italian American Grill restaurant. It offers everything that you might expect - burgers, pizzas, pasta and sodas. It is the brainchild of a heady combo - the famous chef, Marco Pierre White and the famous jockey, Frankie Dettori. This is a place to bring the whole family for some relaxed fun. For more details see the Eat and Drink page on the Selfridges website.
Food Garden Café: This is your opportunity for some real variety in a laid back setting. The Food Garden Café offers different stations from which you can get different types of cuisine (not to be mixed up with the food hall - see below). You will find everything from Indian thalis to Sunday roasts in this healthy food stop. For details, see the Eat and Drink page on the Selfridges website.
Gordon's Restaurant: Gordon's Restaurant sits on the men's fashion floor, and it has a touch of the gentleman's club about it. Here you will find a long cocktail menu, salads, and the famous doorstop club sandwich. This restaurant is popular with young and trendy guys in London. For details, see the Eat and Drink page on the Selfridges website.
Obika Mozzarella Bar: This chic Italian eatery sits aptly in the designer women's section of the store. As its name suggests, the emphasis here is on mozzarella, and you can try a variety of different mozzarellas. However, you will also find salads, pasta and carpaccios on the menu. It is a concept that began in Milan. For more information, see the Official Obika website.
Starbucks: This famous coffee chain has a branch on the top floor of the Selfridges building. For details, see the Eat and Drink page on the Selfridges website.
Remember that on the ground floor of the store you will find the famous food hall. This is a place to head to find high-quality cuisine from around the world. Staff at the many various counters know a lot about the food that they are serving, so make sure you ask lots of questions (if you're friendly you might even get a free sample!). Dotted around the food hall, you will see food places that are more relaxed. You will either be able to sit or stand at the counter to eat them or buy them to take away. Options include Yo! Sushi, Krispy Kreme, a champagne bar, Eat sandwich shop and the famous Brass Rail - a salt beef restaurant.
Where is the store?
Closest Tube: Bond Street (Red Line / Central Line and Grey Line / Jubilee Line)
On leaving Bond Street tube station you will find yourself directly on Oxford Street. Simply turn left and head down Oxford Street (away from Oxford Circus). You will arrive at Selfridges in about two to three minutes.
Contact details
Selfridges & Co
400 Oxford Street
London
W1A 1AB
Tel (local calls): +44 (0) 80 0123 400
Tel (international calls): +44 (0) 20 7160 6222
Website: Official Selfridges Website
Opening times
Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 22:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 21:00
Sunday: 11:30 - 18:00
Only browsing: 11:30 - 12:00 Noon
There is nothing normal about Selfridges. There are some quirky permanent features in the store that are not available in any other department stores in London. These include a psychic service, a tattoo parlour and piercing parlour. This makes it a destination if you are foodie in search of high-quality foods and ingredients that you cannot find elsewhere. There are lots of food products that are sold just in Selfridges before they are sold anywhere else - for example, the famous Willie Harcourt-Cooze's chocolate. The company describe themselves as an ethical 'retail activist' department store. Despite the connotations of luxury, Selfridges have stopped selling foie gras, fur and unsustainable fish.
Selfridges is now a major department store chain, with shops across the country. However, the Selfridges on Oxford Street remains one of its biggest and most popular stores. If you love shopping it is essential that you schedule in some time to visit Selfridges during your trip to London - this truly is a shopping mecca! However, watch out, Selfridges has a habit of hooking you in - before you know it you could have spent a lot of cash and a whole day in this gigantic store.