Harrods Buenos Aires — the London flagship's only overseas outpost, closed after 84 years

Harrods Buenos Aires opened in 1912 as the only overseas branch of the legendary London department store. The building, completed in 1914 on the corner of Córdoba Avenue and San Martín Street, occupied almost an entire city block with 47,000 m² of floor space across eight stories. It was a landmark of Argentine retail: marble steps, cedar flooring, wrought-iron elevators, a jazz orchestra, and valet service.

The store survived the 1930s depression, Perón-era import restrictions, and the 1970s economic turmoil. But the 1989 currency crisis forced the closure of the upper floors, and the 1990s brought a new problem: Mohamed Al-Fayed, who had bought Harrods London in 1985, disputed the licensing arrangement that allowed the Buenos Aires store to use the Harrods name. The store was already struggling with debt, and without the license it had no legal basis to continue.

In 1998, Harrods Buenos Aires closed its doors. The building remained empty for years, with periodic partial restorations for cultural events. A 2010 plan to reopen as a luxury mall by 2013 never materialised. In 2019, a US$60 million plan to convert the building into co-working and co-living spaces was announced but has not been completed.