Charles Henry Harrod

Charles Henry Harrod (1799–1885) was a businessman involved in retail trade who founded the highly successful Harrods store in London.

Career

At a young age, Harrod worked as a miller in Clacton but in 1834 he moved to London where he began selling groceries in Stepney.

In the 1840s he rented a small shop on Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, known as "Harrods". The shop sold groceries and only had a turn over of £20 per week. During the 1850s Knightsbridge grew into one of the most fashionable parts of London.

In 1860 Charles sold the business to his son, Charles Digby Harrod. The trade at Harrods continued to grow and by 1868 the shop had sixteen staff and a turnover had risen to £1,000 per week. Harrod concentrated on encouraging wealthy people to his store and provided a personalised service for important customers. He also managed to increase trade by introducing his own brand groceries patriotically packaged in the colours of the Union Flag.

Persondata
Name	Harrod, Charles Henry
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1799
Place of birth
Date of death	1885
Place of death