Harrods the store for anyone, anywhere

LONDON Nobody argues when Harrods Ltd. calls itself London'slargest department store.

It has about 20 acres of selling space, where an average 50,000customers a day spend roughly 700,000 pounds ($1,046,338). Salestotaled 311 million pounds (more than $460 million) last year.

The store has massive annual sales in January and July, and theplace was packed with customers - including Chicago Bears and theirwives - last week.

Harrods' motto, "Omnia Omnibus, Ubique," means "All things forall people everywhere." The retailer handles everything from theroyal family's requests to a midnight call in 1975 for a babyelephant, a gift for Ronald Reagan, who was then governor ofCalifornia.

Harrods seems to have a special relationship with its customers.

One Friday just after 8 a.m., a store switchboard operatorreceived a call from a customer who said he was testing his newphone.

He said he decided to ring up Harrods - from Sydney, Australia.