Michelle's Market owner Antonio Oliveira of Peabody sells the kind of Brazilian food, novelty items and hair products that mainstream stores don't stock.
He is one of the estimated 75,000 Brazilians in Massachusetts and falls into a smaller subgroup of more than 1,000 Brazilian-born business owners, according to a study released today by the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The study, "Brazilians in the U.S. and Massachusetts: A Demographic and Economic Profile," touts itself as among the state's "first comprehensive studies of Brazilian immigrants."
The report paints a largely positive portrait, sifting out detailed information about a population it says is often undercounted in federal census reports and ranks fifth largest of the state's immigrant groups.
The study also affirms what North Shore residents — especially in Peabody — see and know about the Brazilian community in its midst.
In Massachusetts, the study said:
r Brazilians are hardworking, entrepreneurial and contribute more than $1 billion to the region's economy and more than $295 million in state and federal taxes.
r They find their greatest level of employment — 43 percent — in the service industry, like restaurants.
r Brazilians own a higher percentage of businesses than their counterparts in other states.
r Their unemployment rate is about 3 percent.
Oliveira fits the study's findings. He left his hometown of Resplendor, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, seven years ago, following in the steps of four of his brothers. The Brazil native worked at a restaurant for three years and then, at the urging of a co-worker, purchased the Brazilian storefront on Main Street.
He spends about 80 hours a week at the market, which operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, his daughter Gabriela Oliveira said.
"I came from Brazil two years ago to help him," she said.
Fellow Brazilian Katia Pascoal, owner of a commercial and residential cleaning business, attests to her people's workaholic nature.
"They work full time, part time and overtime," said Pascoal, who arrived 20 years ago. "They even do over that."
She said local Brazilians often joke they work themselves to death, calling it "mor-time," a Portuguese-English amalgam that plays off the Portuguese word "morta" or dead.
Juci Nei of Lowell is another example of the entrepreneurial spirit among Brazilian immigrants. A regional supplier of Brazilian CDs and DVDs, he brings his products to three stores in Peabody, three in Gloucester and one in Salisbury.
"When someone thinks about starting a new business, they think about staying here," said Nei, who arrived nine years ago and worked first in construction. "Most people who stay long enough, they get used to it."
He started his business about 21/2 years ago, as he grew comfortable with English and accustomed to the culture. While he misses his country, Nei tries to visit about every four months. But he's clear about just visiting his country of origin.
"I don't think about going home," he said. "I think about staying."
Alvaro Lima, one of the study's two authors, said he hoped the findings provided a greater understanding of his community.
"There is data about Brazilians, but not information about who we are and what is our role and impact in the economy," said Lima, director of research for the Boston Redevelopment Authority.
He also wanted to dispel some myths of immigrants living here. Brazilians aren't bilking the welfare system, have a low unemployment rate, and their contribution is crucial to this state, he said the report shows.
"I think that they will have one positive image of the Brazilian community and Brazilians in this country," Lima said of those reading the report.
The UMass study also doubles the U.S. Census's 2000 count of Brazilians living in the state.
Lima said the federal government's low numbers — about 36,000 — stem partly from an influx of Brazilians to the state between 2003 and 2004, after the census.
Brazilians may have also been undercounted because a portion were not here legally or, if legal, may not understand the federal count that happens every 10 years and its purpose.
"There's not a clear, immediate benefit for you," he said.
Lima also noted that some may have been working at the time census workers sought their information. He believes many other low-income groups go undercounted.
The study zeroed in on the population's demographics and economic profile but does not tell about very recent trends among Brazilians like a small but steady exodus from the state or the housing market crisis's effect on them.
"There are some Brazilians leaving," Lima said. "We don't know how many, and we don't know if they are all leaving to Brazil or other states."
He did think the weakening dollar combined with increasing hostility toward immigrants and word of federal raids has discouraged many Brazilians.
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