Professor Ellie Paris-Miranda opens social literacy bookstore in Brockton
New venture attracts regional print and radio attention
Entrepreneurship professor Ellie Paris-Miranda is practicing what she teaches at a new venture in Brockton.
Hoping to foster literacy, education and upward economic mobility, Paris-Miranda, the Diana Davis Spencer Endowed Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, has opened the Dr. Ellie Paris Social Bookstore & Ice Cream Café.
“This is the first-of-its-kind social impact bookstore,” Paris-Miranda said of the operation, which will be open seven days a week and primarily staffed by family members and friends. “I’ll be on site on Sundays and for some weeknight events.”
The November 30 grand opening attracted Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan as a guest reader, and has led to media coverage from The Enterprise, The Boston Globe and WGBH to date.
Visitors to the bookstore have included Wheaton faculty members, alumni and a dozen students, including Leah Keating ’25, who will serve as the store’s marketing intern for the spring semester, and Loic Ebelle ’27, who assisted setting up one of the bookstore’s social media accounts.
“We are using books to inspire people to read more, and we are trying to target communities where the literacy rate may be low, so we started with Brockton,” Paris-Miranda explained in The Boston Globe. “We are partnering with a lot of organizations, companies and different community leaders to offer programs on technical assistance for business, financial literacy, investment programs for both adults and kids as well, and on home ownership opportunities and resources.”
A native of Cape Verde, Paris-Miranda shared that the bookstore is also offering language courses, including English and Cape Verdean Creole. “My mother had me at the age of 17 and she never had a chance to finish school,” said Paris-Miranda. “However, she instilled in me the value of education, which changed the course of my life.”
With her marketing expertise and wide network of professionals, Paris-Miranda coordinated the successful Entrepreneurship Summit at Wheaton last spring, and is currently planning this year’s event for April 16.
She also looks forward to collaborating with the college’s Life and Career Design Institute, to connect students with professionals and career development opportunities.