The store has a 5-acre (20,000 m2) site. It has 330 departments covering one million square feet (90,000 m2) of retail space. It is said to be the biggest department store in Europe.
Harrods was founded by Charles Henry Harrod in 1834. In the 20th century they bought other stores in the UK. In 1959, the British department store holding company, House of Fraser, bought Harrods. Later, in 1985, the EgyptianMohamed Al-Fayed bought Harrods. In 2010, the store was sold to Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). This company invests the wealth of the Qatar royal family. Harrods is also known for their annual Christmas bears which are very popular.