Photo: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — It was a packed house for the grand opening of a new community bookstore in Dorchester Saturday.
JustBook-ish at 1463 Dorchester Ave. in Fields Corner is a space that "seeks to shift the narrative in the publishing world by housing a collection of books by writers whose work often challenges political paradigms," according to the store's website.
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The shop, which soft-launched in October, is the brainchild of former Haley House executive director Bing Broderick and Boston's poet laureate Porsha Olayiwola.
"The goal is really for people to feel like the space is theirs," Olayiwola told WBZ NewsRadio. "For people to come in and say, ‘Oh, I’m interested in doing this event.’ And alongside, just making sure folks have access to literature. The goal is to increase access to literature, but also increase access to just gathering."
1 of 4 Boston poet laureate and JustBook-ish co-founder Porsha OlayiwolaPhoto: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio
2 of 4 Photo: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio
3 of 4 Photo: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio
4 of 4 Photo: Mike Macklin/WBZ NewsRadio
In addition to books, the shop also has a café serving sandwiches, pastries, and beverages. There are also plans to hold plenty of community events, open mics, and reading parties.
"I am interested in folks having the space to just gather, talk, think, revolutionize things," said Olayiwola. "Nothing opens the mind like reading, like talking, like exchanging stories."
One of the guests at Saturday's grand opening was Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who read a story to a group of children.
"Growing up myself, as someone who was often the translator for my family because my parents were immigrants to this country, having spaces like the local library or a bookstore made all the difference in the world," Wu said. "And I can already tell this is going to be a place where people are going to feel comfortable sending their kids to hang out, and they will get so much benefit from that."
WBZ's Mike Macklin reports.