RadioProfile | Supply Market: Buenos Aires identity

On May 24, 1934, the Buenos Aires Supply Market was inaugurated.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the City had an important demographic growth due to the migratory currents that arrived from Europe.

This situation, added to the demolition of the first Mercado Modelo due to the opening of Avenida de Mayo, led the Devoto brothers to request authorization from the Municipality to build a Mercado de Abasto on their lots in the Balvanera neighborhood.

The Intendancy ordered the proposal and the Deliberative Council issued an ordinance in 1888 that allowed the work to be carried out on the 25,000-square-meter plot, delimited by Corrientes avenue and Lavalle, Anchorena and Laprida streets -currently Agüero-.

It was then that the former stallholders of the Mercado Modelo decided to join forces and found the Sociedad Anónima Mercado de Abasto Proveedor.

This company bought the land from the Devoto brothers, but also the concession to build the Market.

The first part was inaugurated on April 1, 1893 and had an area of 1,300 square meters.

At first, he only sold wholesale fruits, vegetables, and other items; but around 1903 a refrigerator, an ice factory and a corral for carriages and horses were added.

In 1928 an annex used for retail sale was inaugurated and in 1933 an underground link with the B line of the subway was enabled.

Even with all the extensions, they are still too small for the needs of the increasingly Buenos Aires inhabitants.

This is how the construction of a new market began in the same place.

The neighborhood grew more and more and came to be recognized as the birthplace of Carlos Gardel, “el morocho del abasto”.

The work was designed by the Slovenian architect Viktor Sulcic and directed by the engineer José Luis Delpini.

On December 28, 1931, the foundation stone was laid and on May 24, 1934 it was inaugurated by then President Agustín P. Justo.

Due to its original design, in 1937 the Abasto building obtained the municipal award for buildings and facades and for that year the area grew stronger by integrating market activity with entertainment and gastronomy proposals.

In November 1952 there was a raging fire in the basement that destroyed part of the building.

To save it, Delpini rebuilt the damaged parts and reinforced its structure.

In 1955 the movie “Mercado de Abasto” was filmed, starring Pepe Arias and Tita Merello.

However, everything would begin to change when in 1971 the government gave the Mercado Central de La Matanza the monopoly of wholesale food marketing.

It began operating in 1984, so on October 14 of that year the Mercado de Abasto was closed and its operations were transferred to the complex located in the town of Tapiales.

After its closure, the neighborhood lost part of the vitality that had been its own since the end of the last century.

Finally, the building that formerly housed the Mercado de Abasto was converted in 1998 into Abasto Shopping, one of the most important shopping centers in Argentina.

On May 24, 1934, the Buenos Aires Supply Market was inaugurated.

The story is also news on Radio Perfil. Voiceover by Pita Fortín and script by Javier Pasaragua.