Harvey Nicks, as it's known in the inner circle, ensures glitz and glam for its affluent clientele. Known to the rest of the world as Harvey Nichols, the luxury retailer operates about a half a dozen department stores in the UK. For hungry shoppers, the retailer also owns and operates restaurants in select stores and at stand-alone locations in London. Beyond Britain, the company has retail businesses in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, including a presence in China and Japan. Benjamin Harvey founded the company in 1813 as a linen shop; later, when his daughter married Colonel Nichols in 1820, it expanded its offering. Harvey Nichols is owned by Hong Kong-based businessman Dickson Poon.