In London, 1908, Agnes Tower, who works at Gamages department store, finds her life about to change following an encounter with Harry Gordon Selfridge. He is finalising his great plans for the biggest and finest department store the world has ever seen in Oxford Street. His family also show up in London from Chicago. Word about the impending store opening begins to spread around London, and Agnes approaches Harry for a job. He remembers her, and agrees to give her a job. Opening day is a great success, attracting huge crowds but the takings are not brilliant.

The store has now been open for a few months and the displays are still as seductive as on opening day, and the staff are poised for action. The only thing the store is missing though is customers. Harry is confident though on the outside but privately he is worried. He goes to the country with Frank, where they wait in a field and then a flying machine emerges from the clouds and flies overheard. Harry manages to secures it for a grand exhibition in store.