Books

JustBook-ish, a ‘literary gathering space,’ is opening in Dorchester

The Fields Corner bookstore is co-founded by Boston's poet laureate Porsha Olayiwola and former Haley House executive director Bing Broderick.

JustBook-ish, located at 1463 Dorchester Ave., is a highly curated literary gathering place in the Fields Corner area of Dorchester co-founded by Boston’s poet laureate Porsha Olayiwola. (Annie Jonas/Boston.com Staff)

By Annie Jonas

November 20, 2024

2 minutes to read

A long-awaited and eagerly anticipated “literary gathering space” is opening in Dorchester’s Field Corner neighborhood.

JustBook-ish, a bookstore founded by Boston’s poet laureate Porsha Olayiwola and former Haley House executive director Bing Broderick, is a community space with an emphasis on writers “whose work often challenges political paradigms,” according to their website.

Porsha Olayiwola is Boston’s poet laureate and co-founder of justBook-ish. *(Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff)*

The shop soft-opened to the public in late October, with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony slated for Nov. 23 at 11 a.m.

Located at 1463 Dorchester Ave., the bookstore spans about 1,250 square feet on the first floor of the Dot Crossing building. The five-story structure, owned by TLee Development, houses 29 units of affordable housing. The bookstore was voted into the first floor commercial space by Fields Corner residents and crowdfunding investors through a community engagement process, Olayiwola said.

Located at 1463 Dorchester Ave., the bookstore spans about 1,250 square feet on the first floor of the Dot Crossing building. *(Annie Jonas/Boston.com Staff)*

The bookstore carries a wide array of titles across genres, including many with a social justice focus. The shop is “highly curated” so that community members can find books that speak to them and their experiences.

“We handpick every book that’s on the shelves, so that it caters to folks in our community and the folks visiting,” Olayiwola said.

The shop features a dedicated speculative fiction section, a new banned book display, separate manga and graphic novel sections, nonfiction offerings, an “elaborate” children’s section, and an extensive poetry section (no surprise there): “I want people to know that you can come here, and it’s very likely that you will find a poetry book specifically that is for you,” Olayiwola said.

JustBook-ish’s new banned book display. *(Annie Jonas/Boston.com Staff)*

The windows looking out onto bustling Dorchester Avenue are lined with plush seat cushions and pillows, offering plenty of cozy nooks to curl up with a good book. The bookstore also features a cafe that serves an assortment of light snacks and beverages.

In addition to its book and cafe offerings, JustBook-ish will focus heavily on community events and engagement, with plans to have events nearly every night of the year. Olayiwola said she hopes visitors use the bookstore as a hub for discussion and community building.

“In addition to having stories on our shelves, we’re very much interested in community members being able to exchange stories as well. Those stories are just as important to us as the ones in the books,” she said.

The bookstore also features a cafe (right) that serves an assortment of light snacks and beverages. *(Annie Jonas/Boston.com Staff)*

Until the grand opening ceremony on Nov. 23, the store will be open Tuesday through Friday, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After the grand opening, the bookstore’s hours will be 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends.