A video showing ancient stone ruins preserved inside an H&M store on the Greek island of Rhodes has gone viral on TikTok.
The video was posted by @laizafii, whose TikTok profile says she moved from the United States to Rhodes with her three-year-old child and her cockapoo dog.
Text overlaid on the clip, which has amassed 34.3 million views since it was posted on December 20, reads: “Nobody: The H&M in Greece because you can’t remove ancient stones.”
The video shows what appears to be the interior of an H&M store, where two giant stone displays have been left intact and cordoned off inside the shop, sitting alongside racks of clothing.
The caption shared with the video highlights the creator’s awe at the extent of preserved history in the area, reading: “There are sooo many different ancient buildings and stones that are still up from BC era!”
In the clip, the stones feature prominently in the store rather than something hidden away, with their placement emphasizing how the retail environment has arranged around them.
Speaking to Newsweek, an H&M spokesperson explained that the scene reflects the reality of building and operating spaces in Greece, where the past often intersects directly with the present.
“In Greece, history is very often part of everyday life, quite literally built into the foundations of modern cities and buildings. The building in Rhodes that hosts our H&M store is a case in point,” the spokesperson said.
She added that the company sought to integrate the location’s history into the store design rather than minimize it. “At H&M, we want every store to blend seamlessly with and reflect the local culture. From the outset, the presence of ancient ruins was a defining parameter of the project, and this naturally informed how we approached the store’s design, placing the building’s history at the center of the concept,” she said.
According to the spokesperson, the store’s layout was intentionally designed around the ruins, “ensuring they remain protected, visible, and respected,” she said, noting that “throughout the process, we worked closely with the Greek Ministry of Culture and followed all guidelines and conservation requirements to preserve the site.”
The spokesperson described the final result as a space where fashion and heritage share the same footprint. “The result is a space where modern use and ancient history coexist; a reflection of everyday life in Greece and the importance placed on cultural heritage,” she said.
‘So Cool’
Many TikTok users responded with enthusiasm, such as @headless_horseman66, who wrote: “As a history nerd, i genuinely love this, wdym [what do you mean] ya’ll have ancient stones just chillin’ in an H&M, that’s so cool.”
Another commenter, nonukiriver, described the experience as a combined outing, writing: “it’s shopping and sightseeing like 2-in-1.”
Others used the moment to reflect on cultural priorities and the way heritage is treated elsewhere. Kagi commented: “Imagine if America cared about its ancient history this much.”
Meanwhile, @princessaroweena praised the approach, writing: “I’m actually a big fan of companies and construction having to work AROUND historical sites rather than just bulldozing and tarnishing historical footprints.”
User camp8bit_vt agreed, saying: “I hate the idea of stores being built over ancient stuff. So capitalist dystopian.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok.
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