Buenos Aires bookstore Losada launches massive 2x1 sale amid sales crisis

The renowned Losada bookstore on Buenos Aires' Avenida Corrientes is fighting a sales crisis with a massive "2x1" (two for one) book liquidation sale, offering significant discounts on thousands of titles.

Customers can now purchase two books for prices ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 pesos. The sale includes a wide variety of genres such as narrative, poetry, essay, theater, history, philosophy, science, and art. Featured authors include Nobel laureates Pablo Neruda and Gabriel García Márquez, alongside other literary figures like Julio Cortázar, Mercè Rodoreda, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Special collections, including art books and works by Roberto Arlt and Horacio Quiroga, are also part of the promotion.

José Juan Fernández, the bookseller and editor, explained that the sale focuses on books with older covers and from previous editions, as well as other collections. He emphasized that the bookstore is not closing but is working to liquidate inventory. Despite its location on one of the world's famous avenues, Fernández described a dire situation where customer traffic has plummeted.

Fernández stated that the current situation is worse than the 2001 economic crisis, as people are not even entering the store to browse books. He noted that customers now often leave theaters or cinemas, grab a quick bite, and head home, bypassing bookstores. He continues to operate Losada out of love for books and culture, despite the financial challenges and the potential to rent the space for other businesses.