We have been living in a quiet area of Palermo Soho, near the border with Villa Crespo and Almagro, for about two years. We were told that the nicer area of Palermo Soho was going to expand and cross over Av. Scalabrini Ortíz, coming to our blocks and it is happening. In the last year, despite the tryout of crisis on the media, many new outlet opened nearby, mainly food places ranging from the ubiquitous cervecerías artesanales / gastropubs, and smaller restaurants, grocery stores, health-focused dieteticas etc.
We started 2019 with the news that they were going to open a beer place in our building. The neighbors are - for once - united against it. I am not very worried as I think it is going to die soon. After all, there are about 10 beer places in just two blocks. My husband says I think like a European, and so look for a mix of businesses in a given neighborhoods - which is true. He claims that in the Americas it is indeed the opposite: rows of shops offering the same goods is what determines the success of a business. There is galeria del óptico with about 40 stores of eyewear and lenses labs, there are 3 blocks with just musical instruments downtown, and we are going to be the area with just beer places.
Argentines do not strike me as heavy beer drinkers, and the beer quality here is mostly meh (even in these craft beer places). So what's behind this thing of opening beer places one after another? Are they viable businesses? Are they a way to recycle dirty money? Or is it simply a trend which is going to fade? Or maybe a cheap investment, slightly more expensive than a kiosko but with a higher ROI.