Retail closures rise in Argentine city center

Retail businesses in the microcenter of an Argentine city are facing a significant crisis, with the number of vacant storefronts now exceeding 250. Recent closures include a sporting goods store on Sobremonte at 800, as well as clothing shops on Galeón 30 and Rivadavia street.

Merchants attribute these closures to a combination of rising fixed costs—specifically rent, utilities, and taxes—and weakening sales. Unlike previous trends where vacant spaces were quickly reoccupied, the time to find new tenants is now extending to 15 days or more. There has been no significant migration of businesses from the city center to residential neighborhoods, suggesting a consolidation of the commercial decline.