Selfridges is a department store chain in the United Kingdom, founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge, an American who was pissed at the selection he found in British stores. Back then it was pretty shitty to walk around on the streets -- literally because of the horses -- and even today you can see in Britain and Ireland by the entrance of some buildings a place to scrape your shoes. Consequently at that time perfume was very popular, even more so than today, and he placed them on the first floor as a marketing strategy and to keep out any undesirable scents from the streets. This idea spread to other department stores and consequently that's why today you can't walk into one without wanting to gag.

Which makes you wonder why Macy's put their butcher store on the first floor too. Now it's the men's section, but up until the 70s there was literally a fucking butchery on the 7th Avenue side. Mom always tells me about that and assures me the quality of the meat was good, but I can't wrap my head around it. Imagine shopping for perfume, a winter coat, some ties, and then thinking, "You know what I'm missing out of all of these shopping bags? Meat." And then you just casually walk with your fancy jewelry and shoes into a place covered in blood and said, "Yes, I'd like a pound of prosciutto and some spare ribs, please." It blows my fucking mind.