Walk through Bom Retiro in São Paulo, and you'll likely hear a smattering of languages. Since the late 19th century, the neighborhood has been home to Italian, Jewish and Greek migrants, followed by other countries of origin and now a strong Korean and Bolivian presence.
Aiming to reflect the cultures and stories of that diverse group, a new bookstore will exclusively curate books about or by immigrants, covering a wide range of genres, from fiction to cookbooks. AIGO's founders, themselves children of Asian immigrants, want to share migration stories, promote intercultural understanding and shine a spotlight on Brazil's rich multicultural origins. As they point out, each migrant brings a story, and each migrant is writing a new story.
AIGO, opening on 27 July 2023, will arrange its shelves by narrative themes: 'Displaced and Descendants' provides stories of generational shifts, 'Origins' explores literature from homeland countries, 'Crossings' highlights travel tales and a 'Comfort Food' section focuses on cuisines introduced by migrants. The store will also stock children's books exploring these themes.
