The mother of all Department stores?

Advantages: Its a real experience
Disadvantages: Expensive, but it doesnt claim to be anything else!

...Well over the past few months Ive suddenly been in a fortunate situation where I have had to frequent Selfridges on a regular basis to buy goods. I'll tell you the story first before reviewing the store. A few months ago I completed a survey at a tube station. There was a slight delay before the train came so I didn't mind doing it at all to pass the time! It was about George Bush(!) and was for a national paper. A few weeks later I got an email to say I'd won £1000 at Selfridges! I didnt believe it at first and ignored it (I thought it was spam mail) I then got a phone call to ask if Id got the email. It was only then that it clicked! I didnt realise that there was a prize draw for completing the survey and it was completely out of the blue! The voichers arrived and since then I have been popping into Selfridges from time to time...

Dan_ep 12.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Selfridges (Department Stores)

Britain?s most average department store

Advantages: Location, lots of selection
Disadvantages: The interior

...What is it? Debenhams advertises itself as Britain?s favourite department store. I would describe it as Britain?s most average department store. I am speaking from my experiences at the Swindon store; the other ones I visit tend to be slightly better. Debenhams has it?s own range of products and high street concessions in it. There are 104 stores. The Store Location: This is probably the best thing about it. It has a town centre location, which happens to be right by my bus stop, which is great when I have a 30-minute wait for the next bus. It is a 1960?s style building that has seen better days. A lot of town centre stores seem to be like this but the newer stores in out of town malls are much nicer. I remember going in when I was a little girl and back then I was kind of quaint. Now it just seems old-fashioned. When it first...

Katieshaz 25.06.2004 · Read review
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Review of Debenhams (Department Stores)

Debenhams - a department store with something for everyone!

Advantages: A wide choice of items, good sales with up to 70% off, friendly staff
Disadvantages: Can be expensive at full price - wait for the sales! No free parking.

...My review of Debenhams is based on the Barrow-in-Furness store, but the basics should apply to any branch - they can be found in most big towns and cities, including Manchester. The Barrow store is the biggest shop in town; a huge department store covering 2 big floors, with a car park on the roof so you don't have to carry your shopping too far! Unfortunately they do charge you to park there, which I personally think is a bit of a cheek when you're shopping in their store, but ho hum! As for what the store sells - it has everything from womenswear, childrenswear, menswear, cosmetics, accessories, sportswear, lingerie, home items, gifts, wedding list...the list goes on! It really is a one-stop shop for all the family. In Barrow, Debenhams has also brought Warehouse, Faith and Jane Norman clothes and shoes to the town in the form...

anna6735 01.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Debenhams (Department Stores)

One of the UK's best department stores

Advantages: Huge range of stock, cheap prices
Disadvantages: High interest rate on store card

...a fair hearing but failed to land a job as I had the wrong experience. In 1996 I simply walked into the Personnel Department and gave them my CV. I was granted an interview for a job in the Christmas card department. But the interviewer wrong footed me and I did not get the job. The sales staff are nicely dressed in dark green outfits. The perks are great. After 25 years services you are given 6 months off. A friend of mine developed heart problems 6 months after leaving John Lewis and the company paid all her medical bills. The John Lewis store in Croydon is worth a visit. John Lewis also owns the upmarket food store Waitrose and the department store Peter Jones in Sloane Square. The handsome Stuart Hampson is the chief executive of John Lewis and he can be proud of his staff and excellent store....

mrpaella 16.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of John Lewis (Department Stores)

Harrods, The World Famous Store.

Advantages: Beautiful Store, An experience in itself
Disadvantages: Very Expensive and Do not go at sale/time unless you want to save lots of money.

...Harrods is the worlds premier Department Store. If you are rich and need to do your shopping and live in england then I can guarantee that you will shop at Harrods. Harrods started off as a family business in 1849 as a simple food store (It still incorporates this today)but soon became a much bigger store and branched out into a department store in 1902 with 80 departments and over 2000 staff. It grew even more and became the biggest and best departmental store in the world. In 1959 however it became subject to a takeover by scottish group House Of Fraser which was then inturn bought out by Mohamed Alfayed in 1986. In 1994 Alfayed floated The 54 House of Fraser Stores and Kept Harrods once again as a family run business. Harrods has always been known well for it's sales and its motto that it can supply anything that is demanded...

atlantis140 10.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of Harrods (Department Stores)

If only every store could be like them

Advantages: Customer service, extensive range of goods, helpful staff
Disadvantages: Not enough of thier stores around the country

...When it comes to department stores this one stands 'head & shoulders' above many others. They don't have many stores around the country so I'm lucky that they have a four storey department store about 10 miles from where I live. What makes them better than most other department stores? Its simple, their customer service, before & after the sale. They are not cheap; although their motto is 'never knowingly undersold' they only sell premium brands. No cheapo electrical goods made in some far eastern 'sweat shop' here, only the big names like Sony, Panasonic, JVC etc. However they will try & compete with any local competition selling exactly the same brands & when it comes to electrical goods they can normally match another quote with an 'ace card' up their sleeve. They sometimes offer an extra year warranty on certain electrical goods...

ScottishWestie 04.12.2007 · Read review
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Review of John Lewis (Department Stores)

Best Department Store

Advantages: Good quality stock
Disadvantages: too pricey

...John Spedan Lewis founded the store I think in the late 19th century. The company is privately owned amongst its employees who are known as partners. John Lewis is a large chain of department stores throughout the country. Their prices are sometimes a little on the expensive side, but you pay for quality. The staff are friendly, they wear uniforms so are easy to spot, and there is always someone around. I have never had to queue at the checkout, and I have never had to fight my way through the store. I have to go to John Lewis to have my bras fitted as I have not found anywhere else who do my size and I have always found them very pleasant and polite and very sensitive about women issues. If the bra I wanted is not in stock they have always taken my name and address and contacted me when the stock has arrived. I have never...

jess1980 09.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of John Lewis (Department Stores)

Dunnes Stores Clothes, really?

Advantages: Nice clothes relatively cheap
Disadvantages: Fashion mood swings

..." You buy your best clothes in Dunnes Stores up yours. " Well, thats no longer my opinion. Dunnes Stores is one of those traditional, cheap department stores. I remember it when it was a bog standard supermarket, however in my town they now specialise in clothes and other household utilities. It is December, and feeling a little cold and unenthusiastic about Christmas, I popped into Dunnes Stores to see if I could pick up a bargain. TK Maxx is ten miles away and everybody wheres they latest stripey jumper from Tesco, so I needed something cheap but different. Dunnes Stores didn't disappoint! I had once before looked in Dunnes and was taken aback by the shleves upon shelves of mens clothing that was simply for chavs, spides, scallies, whatever you want to call them. Pink and yellow, all that. This time however Dunnes had...

markcrymble 19.12.2006 · Read review
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Review of Dunnes Stores (Department Store)

Stores within stores

Advantages: stress free shopping
Disadvantages: none that i can think of

...Debenhams is a very good department store. I cant really fault it. Its an amazingly "stress free" way of shopping, with everything nicely laid out under one roof. How many times have you trudged from shop to shop amongst the crowds feeling yourself getting more and more stressed blisters starting to come, sweating hot, and just to land back at the first shop you visited to purchase that much wanted item! Its particulary good for me because im a petite size eight and they have at least three departments, Anne Brookes, Principles petites and Dorothy Perkins petites, oh and Wallis that cater just for my needs. I am sure this is true of the store no matter what your shape or size. The cosmetic counters are fascinating especially when you see the beautifully made up assistants standing behind them...

y2krosebuddie 29.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of Debenhams (Department Stores)

An upmarket store for tourists

Advantages: Excellent quality of goods
Disadvantages: Far too pricey

...the reach of the average household. The same can be said for the kitchen equipment department where even melon ballers are sold. You can negotiate the different floors via escalators. In 1987 I went to the fridge department in search of a cheap one. There was a vast assortment of models available. But all the sales staff was huddled together in a corner seemingly not interested in their job of helping customers. So I bought my fridge from elsewhere. After trawling the store it was time for a quick coffee. But the mini coffee bar was charging about £2 per cup and £2.50 for a slice of cake. I quickly exited and had my meal at Pizza Hut opposite Barkers. The House of Fraser store chain owns Barkers. The store underwent a refit about 5 years ago. The décor looks amazing now. If you are a visitor to Barkers my advice is to look but don...

mrpaella 07.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Barkers (Department Stores)