In Buenos Aires downtown, a city seeks new lease of life after pandemic 'iceberg'

FILE PHOTO: A pedestrian walks past out-of-business stores which display "For rent" signs, near Buenos Aires' Obelisk, Argentina, in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina August 20, 2021. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - In downtown Buenos Aires, the scars of the pandemic are clear for all to see. In store windows, signs read "We're leaving," "Final settlement," and "Closing down" - a reminder of the painful economic impact of COVID-19.

As with city centers elsewhere, Argentina's picturesque and famously lively capital has faced a reckoning since the coronavirus hit last year. Offices closed as many people worked from home, cutting off the supply of consumers to cafes, shops and services in downtown commercial zones.