Harrods to open outlet store to sell excess inventory resulting from pandemic

Harrods is opening its first-ever outlet store.

London’s most famous department store will open a two-level, 80,000-sq.-ft. pop-up outlet in July in Westfield London, a large shopping center in West London. The temporary store will host Harrods’ annual end-of-season summer sale, which typically is one of its most popular and crowded events. The pop-up has been designed to support higher levels of social distancing, the company said.

“In the new world in which we find ourselves, the economy needs businesses willing to look at its business model and current operations and think differently to enable growth, while protecting its customers and employees,” Harrods managing director Michael Ward said in a statement. “Harrods Outlet allows us to enable better social distancing across a larger footprint, move towards the new season decisively and confidently, and retail in a responsible way.”

Harrods said it will reopen the doors to its iconic London flagship, on June 15, with significant social distancing measures in place, including the use of traffic monitoring to limit in-store capacity. Clear signage will direct customers and employees safely around the store, and specific doors will be designated for entering and exiting the store. 

In addition, an enhanced cleaning program has been introduced, including hand sanitation stations across the store and at entrances and exits. 

“While we will undoubtedly be operating in a hugely changed environment, we are optimistic about the future,” said Ward. “The opening of Harrods – a building that has stood in central London for over 170 years – is important for our long-term stability as a business, but also an optimistic step in the wider reopening of London.”