How Mr. Selfridge Created the Modern Economy

April 5 (Bloomberg) -- When the British drama “Mr.Selfridge” debuted on PBS this week, American viewers saw twothings rarely on display in contemporary popular culture: abusinessman hero and, more remarkably, a version of commercialhistory that includes not just manufacturing but shopping.

The show, which is also streamed on PBS.org, stars JeremyPiven as Harry Gordon Selfridge, the American-born founder ofthe London department store. In the first episode, he arrives in1909, determined to shake up U.K. retailing with thetechniques that made him a success as a partner at Chicago’sMarshall Field’s: showmanship, tons of advertising, and displaysthat let customers easily handle the merchandise. In the second,he puts perfumes and powder on display right by the store’sfront door and introduces an affordable house fragranceconcocted with new chemical processes.