december 2008

The Source • 1Issue 87 - December 2008

A window into the world of RootsRootsRootsRootsRoots Issue 87 • December 2008

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MasterCard Canada President KevinStanton at campaign launch at Rootsflagship store in Toronto

2 • The Source Issue 87 - December 2008

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantAMY KAPLAN

InternANNA NGUYEN

The Source is published regularly by RootsCanada Ltd. We welcome letters from readersfor publication. Please address allcorrespondence to The Source, Letters to theEditor, Roots Canada, 1400 Castlefield Ave.,Toronto, Ontario, M6B 4C4 or by email [email protected] Letters may be edited forlength and clarity.

Each issue of The Source is alsoavailable, in an abridged version, on theRoots website at www.roots.com

Departments

FINE PRINT

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED IN

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

MOMENTS THAT MATTER

GREEN TIPS

HEALTH TIPS

STAYING POWER

I N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI N S I D EI S S U E 87I S S U E 87I S S U E 87I S S U E 87I S S U E 87

• The Source wants to hear from you.Please send your letters to Robert Sarnerat [email protected]. Letters may beedited for length and clarity.

SHOPPING MADE EASIERWhile visiting Toronto, I had thegood fortune to go shopping atthe Roots store in the EatonCentre. Our 12-year-old son hadset out in great detail his cloth-ing requirements as living inIreland it is impossible to accessyour products and so he jumpedat the opportunity to have meprovide a shopping service forhim.

In your store, I was met by ayoung man named Brett Tagoe.He helped me locate all theitems we needed and he wasexceptionally courteous andefficient in his work.

All of the store staff werehelpful but I thought it importantto single out Brett in particularas he certainly made my chal-lenge a lot less onerous.

Wishing Roots continuedsuccess.Michael HoganDublin, Ireland

A NICE TOUCHI would like to bring to yourattention an exceptional exampleof Roots customer care. I calledyour ‘Roots 73’ store at WindsorCrossing in Windsor to inquireabout the availability of stretchsweat pants for my niece for her10th birthday. She was diag-nosed with cancer in late Mayand has required frequent staysin hospital since then.

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of letters from the world of Roots

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Her parents requested yoga/sweat pants, loose or adjustablein the waist, for her to wearduring radiation treatments,which are focused on her lowerback.

I explained this on the phoneto one of the your store employ-ees, Manager, Bernie O’Beid.She was very helpful and agreedto put aside what she had in myniece’s size.

I came in later that day andpurchased two pairs of pantsalong with coordinating tops andsocks. To my surprise, after myoriginal phone call to the store,Bernie and her colleagues (Idon’t know their names) went toa nearby shop and bought myniece a birthday card andWebKinz. My niece has acollection of these and of courseloves the new lamb addition.My family was most impressedand touched by the generosity ofyour staff and I wanted yoursenior management to be madeaware of this very kind act.

Please thank them again for us.Christine MelnykWindsor, Ontario

RISING TO THE OCCASIONI am writing in response to aphone conversation I recentlyhad with your Customer ServiceDepartment. Bethany Peckhamwas absolutely great and under-standing as was the sales rep I

dealt with at your store at Yongeand St. Clair in Toronto.

Previously, I’d gone toanother location for help with asmall problem with the zipper onmy purse. It was an unpleasantexperience that I wanted toavoid repeating at another store.But I took a chance and went tothe Yonge/St. Clair store.

I spoke with Dori Lewis towhom I explained the problemwith the purse and the negativetreatment I’d received at theother location. It was a smallthing but I felt with the cost ofthe purse, small problemsshouldn’t happen.

Dori was excellent. Shequickly assured me that Rootswould take care of the purse andalthough her store was busy, shewas patient and attentive. It wasreally nice to have a sales repwho’s outgoing and friendly andwho made me feel that mybusiness was appreciated.

I have great respect foranyone working in retail as I toohave worked in a store. It’s atough job. It’s refreshing to havea company as a whole that I canput my faith in.

Thank you Dori and Bethany.Penny HousoneToronto

GIVING THE ULTIMATEHOLIDAY GIFTRoots and MasterCard launchholiday campaign to raise fundsfor Big Brothers Big Sisters ofCanada.

HOPE REIGNS AT EVENTFOR JANE GOODALLRoots hosts tribute to UNMessenger of Peace Dr. JaneGoodall in support of her Rootsand Shoots education programin Canada and Israel.

FRESH ROOTSOpening of two new stores inCalgary and Oakville reflectsthe confidence of Roots in thefuture.

REWARDING THECUSTOMERNew loyalty program ‘RootsRewards’ allows customers toearn points for every purchase.

A DREAM COME TRUEChris Whaley, Manager ofOttawa store, has dream cometrue when his idol WayneGretzky drops in.


The new men’s graphic tees take their inspiration in part from natural surroundings

Talk about the total beingmore than the sum of theparts. Talk about one plus

one equaling three. Talk aboutputting the resources andreputation of two great compa-nies toward an excellent cause.

In the true holiday spirit,MasterCard Canada and Rootsare now working together raisingfunds for young Canadians inneed. Launched last month, theGive a Little for Something Bigcampaign involves all Rootsstores across the country and theRoots website together in acoordinated effort in support ofBig Brothers Big Sisters ofCanada’s (BBBSC) In-SchoolMentoring Program.

Over a six-week periodending on Christmas eve, Rootsand MasterCard are encouragingconsumers to help give thou-sands of children an in-schoolmentor by making a $5 donationonline or by adding $1 or moreto their purchases at Roots storesand at roots.com.

The launch event took placeat the Roots flagship store indowntown Toronto last month in

the presence of leaders of thetwo companies, the head ofBBBSC, hockey legend BobbyOrr and members of the media.Some 25 “littles” and their“bigs” participated in theevening where they werepresented with Roots apparel.

The event also featured a specialperformance by vocalist VoyceAlexander and Roots musicaldirector Terence Gowan.

“As business leaders with astrong sense of community, thepartnership between MasterCardand Roots is a natural fit,” saysKevin Stanton, President ofMasterCard Canada whichdonated $25,000 to BBBSC tohelp kick off the campaign. “Bysupporting Big Brothers BigSisters of Canada, it’s our hopethat every child in Canada whoneeds a mentor or role-modelwill have access to one. To be

part of such an importantinitiative with an iconic com-pany like Roots is something weare very proud of.”

During the holiday period,the Give a Little for SomethingBig campaign is being supportedwith a major advertising effort –on national English and FrenchTV, online and in variousnewspapers – in addition toRoots in-store signage and Rootscashier ask programs.

“Roots is honoured to bejoining forces with MasterCardCanada on this great initiative,

Michael Budman, Kevin Stanton, Bruce MacDonald and Bobby Orr with some of the children from BBBSC

Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman addresses the crowd at the eventHockey legend Bobby Orr, (left), shakes hands with one of the “littles”

COMING TOGETHER FOR THE KIDSFlagship store hosts launch of Roots-MasterCard national campaign to provide

assistance to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. By ROBERT SARNER

Continued on next page


as both companies share acommon goal of supporting thecommunity,” says Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman. “AtRoots, we believe that theultimate gift is helping others,and adding as little as $1.00 toyour purchase this holidayseason can mean that anotherchild who needs a role modelwill receive one. We’re thrilledto be partnering on this withsuch a first-class, sociallyresponsible company asMasterCard.”

MasterCard and Roots areencouraging Canadians tosupport BBBSC while makingtheir holiday gift purchases atRoots stores across the country.Staff in each location have beeninstructed to ask customers ifthey wish to make a donationtoward this charity. As an addedincentive to retail employees toparticipate, MasterCard isdonating a prize to the six storesthat generate the largest amountof donations within their respec-tive category. MasterCard willgive each employee in thewinning stores a $100MasterCard gift card and a $100charitable donation to the charityof the store’s choice. By earlyDecember, several weeks intothe campaign, Roots had raisednearly $50,000 in support ofBBSC. So far, here are the top

stores in each of the six catego-ries in terms of what they’vegenerated: Robson St. (Vancou-ver, BC); Durham Centre (Ajax,Ontario); Halifax ShoppingCentre (Nova Scotia); Kelowna(BC); Calgary TD Centre(Alberta); Southpark EdmontonCentre (Alberta).

“It’s great to see our entireretail staff work together to raisemoney for the Big Brothers andBig Sisters of Canada,” saysJarar Kazmi, ExecutiveDirector, Retail Operations.“We have high hopes for this

initiative and it was important tous that everyone has an opportu-nity to take part in this cam-paign. This is the first time thatcustomers have been able todonate without having to make apurchase and it’s gratifying thatthey are responding so posi-tively.”

The Roots website is alsoplaying an important role in thecampaign. “We have includedthe TV commercial on ourFacebook page as well as ourRoots Buzz blog to drive greaterpublic awareness of the cam-paign,” says James Connell,Director of E-Commerce andDigital Marketing. “To encour-age donations at roots.com,we’ve added a link to thehomepage and in every categoryof products, we try to encourageonline shoppers to donate aswell as store shoppers. I’m reallyexcited to be able to be involvedwith such great partners and tobe able to help Roots customersand staff give back to thecommunities where they live.”

Several people at Roots haveplayed a key role in the success-ful execution of this project.They are (listed alphabetically):Graham Canning, Vice Presi-dent & Chief Financial Officer;James Connell, Director of E-Commerce and Digital Market-

ing; Stephanie Holden, CreativeDirector; Jarar Kazmi, Execu-tive Director, Retail Operations;Jay Lopes, Director of VisualMerchandising; Robin Nelson,Director of IT; RaymondPerkins, Director of PublicRelations and Special Events;Robert Sarner, Director ofCommunication and PublicAffairs; Laura Simpson(Empire PR); Josh Tillo, RetailOperations Coordinator.

“We consider ourselveslucky to have support from agenerous and committed partnerlike MasterCard Canada and aleading Canadian retailer likeRoots,” says BruceMacDonald, President ofBBBSC. “We’re hopeful thatCanadians will give a little extrathis holiday season so that wecan expand our recruitment ofvolunteers in order to give BigBrothers and Big Sisters to thethousands of Canadian childrenon our waiting list.”

Founded in 1917, BBBSC isthe nation’s largest youth-mentoring organization provid-ing quality adult mentoringservices for 20,000 children inmore than 900 communities. Therole of each mentor is to helpprovide a positive influence inthe life of a child when one isneeded. - R.S.Bobby Orr signs autographs for visitors at the event

Bruce MacDonald, President of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada, explains work of BBBSC

Continued from previous page


HOPE REIGNS AT ROOTS-HOSTED EVENT FOR JANE GOODALLLeading figures join Roots to raise funds for environmental education program

In mid-November, in theculmination of a three-monthcampaign spearheaded by

Roots, more than 750 peopleattended the ‘Reason for Hope’evening in Toronto in honour ofinternationally renownedprimatologist, global environ-mental advocate and UNMessenger of Peace Dr. JaneGoodall.

The evening was chaired byRoots Co-Founders MichaelBudman and Don Green andtheir wives Diane Bald andDenyse Green. Master ofCeremonies GeorgeStroumboulopoulos (Host ofthe CBC’s The Hour) was joinedby leading environmentalist Dr.David Suzuki, the HonoraryDinner Chair.

At the event, Dr. Goodallreceived an honorary doctor’sdegree from the University ofHaifa for her lifetime achieve-ments as a humanitarian,conservationist and peaceactivist. These include foundingRoots and Shoots, a worldwideprogram that encourages youngpeople to address both humanand environmental issues in theircommunities and aims to foster anew generation of enlightenedleaders. Proceeds from theevent will be shared equallybetween Canadian Friends ofHaifa University and the JaneGoodall Institute of Canada andwill support the development of

the Institute’s Roots and Shootseducation program in Canadaand Israel.

Dr. Goodall gave the keynoteaddress in which she stressed theimportance of each individualtaking responsibility to contrib-ute, even in seemingly smallways, to making the earth abetter place for all. She ex-plained that despite the currentproblems, she remained hopeful,citing four main sources: Thehuman brain; the determinationof young people; the indomitable

human spirit; and the resilienceof nature.

Special guests included, fromthe entertainment world, filmdirector Norman Jewison; actorWoody Harrelson; actor/comedian Eugene Levy; theatreimpresario Jeff Latimer; singer/rapper K-os and supermodelYasmin Warsame; from thesports world, Canadian worldchampion kayaker and Olympicmedalist Adam van Koeverden;Right To Play Founder andformer Olympic Gold MedalistJohann Koss; and former NHLplayers (and current MP) KenDryden and Stew Gavin; andbusiness leaders/philanthropistsGerry Schwartz and HeatherReisman; and media guruMoses Znaimer.

The evening also featuredspecial performances by theRoots and Shoots Soul Revuewith musical director TerenceGowan and vocalists VoyceAlexander and Nadia.

Several leading figures fromthe entertainment world in theUnited States – including DanAykroyd, Michael Douglas,

Catherine Zeta-Jones, RobbieRobertson and Martin Short –lent their support to the ‘ReasonFor Hope’ campaign that waslaunched last summer with aspecial evening at the Rootsheadquarters.

The major sponsors wereMasterCard Canada; GluskinSheff and Associates; and theStolero Family Foundation.

All the carbon emissionscaused by travel to last month’sevent by our special guests fromoverseas, and the environmentalimpact caused by running theevent itself, were offset byToronto’s Zerofootprintorganization through ISO-certified offsets.

Dr. Jane Goodall gives passionate keynote address after receiving honorary degree from Haifa University.

MC George Stroumboulopoulos (host of CBC’s The Hour) interviewsleading environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki, Honorary Dinner Chair. Alexander Voyce


After two years of carefulplanning, the eagerly-anticipated Roots cus-

tomer loyalty program waslaunched last month. CalledRoots Rewards, this free serviceallows customers to earn pointsfor every purchase made. Areward card is issued to allcustomers wishing to join, whoreceive 500 bonus points ontheir first purchase. With everydollar spent thereafter, custom-ers receive 10 points added onto their accounts.

Redeeming the points iseasy. A five-dollar discount isgiven for every 1,000 pointscollected. Add extra points toyour account by joining the‘Roots Insider’ mailing list, orby referring other customers to

join. Being part of the RootsRewards program also grantscustomers access to members-only deals, contests, events andonline offers.

Although not the first of itskind at the company, Roots

Rewards is a refreshing newconcept. There is an interactiveelement that gears emailupdates to the customer basedon their previous purchases.

“This is a great way to keepin touch with our customers

needs,” says Senior Director ofEcommerce and Digital Mar-keting, James Connell whoheads up the program. “Whenwe understand our customer,we can reflect that moreeffectively in our products.”

Thanks to an excellent teameffort of James, Director ofInformation and TechnologyRobin Nelson, Store ServicesManager Lena Owens, Crea-tive Director StephanieHolden, Vice President andChief Financial OfficerGraham Canning and theentire Information and Technol-ogy Department, the RootsRewards Program is a great wayfor customers to get more fortheir money while allowingRoots to serve them better.

In late November, the latestRoots flagship store wasofficially inaugurated with a

grand opening event. Locatedjust outside Calgary’s downtowncore, at the corner of 17th Ave.and 4th St. SW. on the famousRed Mile, the store is a Rootsfirst in Alberta when it comes toits street-side presence.

“We’re extremely excited bythis new store in Calgary,” saysMichael Budman who, alongwith fellow Roots Co-FounderDon Green, was at the store forthe event. “Its design and eco-friendly attributes reflect thevalues and esthetics of Roots.Its addition to the Roots retailfamily at this time speaks to ourbrand’s strong presence inCanada, and our confidence inparticular in Alberta.”

The new store brings to 11the number of Roots locationsin Alberta, including six inCalgary. Construction of the2,600-square foot store utilizedvarious eco-friendly practices.

The feature wall inside is madeof reclaimed cedar whilesustainable bamboo was used fordifferent floor and wall fixtures.Another feature are the almostfloor-to-ceiling windows thatprovide lots of natural light.

At the grand opening,Michael, Don and store man-ager, Liz Beland, mixed withpartygoers. The event helpedgenerate positive coverage in theCalgary Herald. In the article,Don said that Roots is planningto open a store next year in thenew CrossIron Mills shoppingcentre just north of Calgary.

Meanwhile, a week earlier, tothe east, Roots opened its firstwomen’s-only concept store inOakville, just west of Toronto.The store is solely dedicated towomen’s apparel and leathergoods. Canadian world cham-pion kayaker and Olympicmedallist Adam van Koeverdenwas at the mid-November grandopening to sign autographs andspeak with customers.

FRESH ROOTSTwo new stores in Alberta and Ontario reflect company’s latest retail innovationsand show confidence of Roots in the future

REWARDING THE CUSTOMERJust-launched loyalty program pays dividends to shoppers to the benefit of Roots

The card now increasingly seen and used in Roots stores

Don Green and Michael Budman in the new Calgary store

View of the exterior of the store in downtown Calgary


Here are somerecent sightings ofRoots in the pagesof newspapers andmagazines:

A selection of coverageof Roots in the media

• Wenkei Tam appointedDistrict Manager of Market 101& 104, Head Office, Toronto

ON THE MOVE

Innovation has always playeda key role at Roots. Theleather factory is no excep-

tion.In his 35 years with the

company, Director of LeatherKarl Kowalewski often travelsto Italy in search of the latestraw material, designs andproduction techniques.

On a recent trip, Karldiscovered a state-of-the-artleather cutting machine thatimpressed him. On his return,he discussed it with his brother,Henry Kowalewski, FactoryProduction Manager, who’salways on the lookout for thebenefits technology can provide.

Traditionally, heavy metaldyes that look like massivecookie cutters are used to cutleather. A dye can take weeks tobe fabricated and then sharp-ened. Today, modernizedfactories use lasers to cut leather.

This ensures a more precise cutand less waste, and is also muchsafer for the worker.

“Roots is continuouslymodernizing our productiontechniques,” says Karl. “We arealways looking for ways tocreate an easier and moreefficient environment for ourcraftspeople.”

After meetings between Karl,Henry and Co-FoundersMichael Budman and DonGreen, Roots purchased the CM44 Plus and a new digitizer lastsummer. The new addition,which is the size of a Zamboni

ice-resurfacing machine, nowhas a pride of place in the50,000 square foot factory.

Helen Rego, who hasworked in the factory for 13years, operates the machine.“This is so much faster andeasier than the old method,” saysHelen. “The best thing is thatthere are no heavy dyes to lift.”

The patterns for handbagsare entered into the digitizer byProduct Development AssistantNadeen Peca and AssistantDesigner Ringo Law. Then,leather is placed on a conveyerbelt, which carries it under thelaser. The cuts are then made,all at the click of a mouse.

Located in Toronto, theleather factory is at the heart ofthe Roots constellation. Overthe past year, the factory hasbeen operating at full capacitydue to the great success of theRoots leather bag program.

Being part of the Rootsteam is rewarding,sometimes in unexpected

ways. On a recent weekend,Chris Whaley, Manager of theRoots store in Ottawa’s Market,saw a dream come true. In the1980s, while growing up inBelleville, Ontario, he and hisbrother were passionate follow-ers of the National HockeyLeague. To Chris, no oneepitomized Canada more thanWayne Gretzky.

“He’s bigger than the PrimeMinister,” says Chris.

After joining Roots lastAugust, Chris was thrilled tofind out that Wayne is a friendand supporter of the company.Chris knew of other hockeylegends who had visited Rootsand he dreamt that one day hisidol would come in to his store,which was inaugurated in mid-September. To his amazement,that day came sooner than

expected.Enjoying a day off, Chris

was at home when he received aphone call from co-workersSidney McLennan and WendyChain. They told him to get tothe store as soon as possible.The Great One had been in andsaid he would be back afterdinner. Chris put on his Rootshoodie and baseball cap,

grabbed his camera and rushedto the store. He had hisbrother on the phone and waspacing the floor in anticipationwhen Wayne walked throughthe door.

“He made a longtimehockey fan the happiest personon earth by taking a picturewith me,” says Chris. “Havinghim stand beside me andseeing the flash go off, I knewthat I would never forget thatmoment.”

The hockey legend signedautographs for the three

employees and commented onhow great the store’s location is.The area is aimed mainly attourists and it’s a nice mix ofboth indoor and outdoor mar-kets. There are various shopsand restaurants in theneighborhood and street vendorsopen in good weather. On abeautiful day, it’s the place to bein the nation’s capital.

Chris Whaley, (right), and ‘The Great One’

· BC Business, Dec issue. The EquestrianBag and the Roots scarf are featured.· Wish, winter. The Roots haute hand-heldclutch appears in the Small Clutches photo-shoot.· Calgary Herald, Nov. 29. The grand openingof new Roots flagship store in Calgary’sdowntown area makes headlines in Businesssection.· Toronto Star, Nov. 27. Article entitled ‘Pullup your socks and gift wrap them’ prominentlyfeatured Roots après-ski snowflake sock.· Oakville Beaver (Ontario), Nov. 21. Spotlighton opening of new store in Oakville with photoof Michael Budman, Don Green and Adamvan Koeverden at special opening event.· Xyyz.ca, Nov. 17. Roots black and whiteHoundstooth scarf featured in the Wyresection focusing on Neckwear You Need.· Calgary Herald, Nov. 4. Article entitled ‘TheUltimate Cool Coat’ featured Roots leatherjackets as having the softest and lightestleather.· Canadian Living, Nov. Spotlight on Rootswhite cotton hat with earflaps.· Famous, Nov. Roots purple Lauren Bagfeatured in the ‘Style: Ultra Violet’ section.· Where Toronto, Nov. Roots red Fringe Bagfeatured in article on ‘Queen Streetfashionistas.· Fashion, Nov. Roots leather men’s bagfeatured in the ‘Men’s Gift Guide’ section.· Sweet Spot, Nov. 10. Article entitled ‘TheSweetest Thing’ prominently featured theRoots TUFF Skins protectors in the ProtectedSpotting section.· Homemaker’s, Nov. Roots grey acrylicwinter hat featured in the ‘Holiday Gift Guide’section as the perfect Christmas present.· Canadian House and Home, Nov. Spotlighton Roots Home leather day bed.· Sway magazine, Oct. Roots greysweatpants featured in ‘Go Green with Blue’fashion shoot.· Lou Lou, Oct. Spotlight on Roots ChatelaineBag, now available in brown and black; andMidtown Slide handbag featured in ‘ClassicTrench’ photo-hoot.· Dawson’s Creek, Oct. 24. Roots leatherjacket featured as the ultimate cool coat.· National Post, Oct. 14. Article entitled‘Retailers put accent on value over style’highlights Roots apparel and leatheraccessories.· Toronto Star, Oct. 11. In feature on schoolsupplies, Roots zipper binders receive positiverating.· Metro (Halifax), Oct. 9. Roots waist pack isfeatured as a favorite item to fill up with treatswhen out for a walk.· Globe and Mail, Oct. 4. Roots eco-friendlyorganic cotton scarf and hat appear on coverof ‘Life Style’ section. Also, mentions beeswaxcandles and bamboo dinner wear.· Vancouver 24 Hours, Oct. 3. Article onBreast Cancer Awareness Month spotlightsRoots Samba Watches, which raise funds forRethink Breast Cancer.· The Globe and Mail, Oct. 3. HBC’s newCEO Jeffery Sherman pays tribute to Rootspast Olympic work, saying HBC could learnfrom the designs of Roots.

- Compiled by Anna Nguyen

Helen Rego and the CM 44 Plus

FINE PRINT

New appointments andpromotions at Roots

A DREAM COME TRUEStore manager meets his idol when hockey legend drops in

ON THE CUTTING EDGENew leather trimming machine simplifies process for employees


• Karl Kowalewski, Director ofProduct Development and Design,Leather Factory, 35 years• Henry Kowalewski, PlantProduction Manager, LeatherFactory, 35 years• Luz Ma Castro, LeatherTableworker, Leather Factory, 30years•Thuy Thien Ha, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 25 years• Malcolm Guy, DC ForkliftOperator, Distribution Center, 20years• Dariusz Gliwny, LeatherMechanical Engineer, LeatherFactory, 15 years• Malgorzata Tonder, Floor Lady,Leather Factory, 15 years• Ewa Pisz, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 15 years• Rosalia Mylanarczyk, LeatherStitcher, Leather Factory, 15 years• Giovanni Filippelli, LeatherCutter, Leather Factory, 15 years• Danny Tsatsanis, Leather Cutter,Leather Factory, 15 years• Bela Szabo, Leather Cutter,Leather Factory, 15 years• Khoren Barkhordarian, GeneralHelp, Leather Factory, 15 years• Fernanda Costa, LeatherStitcher, Leather Factory, 10 years• Tieu Hong Ngo, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 10 years• Barbara Niedzielska, LeatherEmbroidery Machine Operator,

Saluting those who go the distance

Recently, many Roots employees marked major anniversaries oftheir time at the company. By ‘major,’ we mean benchmark

achievements as in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years spent at Roots. We invite anyone celebrating such an anniversary to send the

relevant information to The Source.Congratulations to the following employees for their significant

contributions and enduring loyalty to Roots:

STAYING POWER

Leather Factory, 10 years• Nicole Blacquiere, Keyholder,Bloor St., Toronto, 10 years• Danpattie Singh, Purchase OrderAdministrator, Head Office, 10 years• Ronald Smith, Keyholder, OrfusOutlet, Toronto, 5 years• Lorei Leigh Des Los Reyes,Keyholder, Scarborough TownCentre, Scarborough, 5 years• Nigel Jones, Keyholder, Prom-enade, Thornhill, 5 years• Mercedita Bautista, Keyholder,Devonshire Mall, Windsor, 5 years• Dominique Doyle, Sales Associ-ate, Georgian Mall, 5 years• Josh Tillo, Retail OperationsCoordinator, Head Office, 5 years• Michelle Duhaney, Sales Associ-ate, Centreville, Montreal, 5 years• Khiet Lam, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 5 years• Phuong Yen Lam, LeatherTableworker, Leather Factory, 5years• Sarah Laporte, Leather TableWorker, Leather Factory, 5 years• Ilda Moreira, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 5 years• Lisbela Nunez, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 5 year• Cheryl Ross, Sales Associate,Pickering Town Centre, 5 years• Kismat Salim, Leather Stitcher,Leather Factory, 5 years• Marc Wolfson, Assistant Manager,Markville Shopping Centre, 5 years

The Roots flagship store onToronto’s Bloor St. isalways showcasing exciting

new products and innovations.The latest service is a specialcustomization desk in the LeatherDepartment near the front of thestore. Customers can now orderhandbags and jackets to theirspecific requirements, includingthe type of leather, style andcolour.

“This is our way of includingcustomers in the design process oftheir handbag or jacket,” saysLeather Specialist AndyMcCurbin, who heads up theprogram. “Roots can offer thisunique service because we makethese products in our own factoryin Toronto.”

Opened in the fall, theCustomization Desk is alreadyenjoying great success. One ofthe first people to take advantageof this service was actor Idris

Introducedin Rootsstores in

the fall, Levijeans haveproven highlypopular withcustomers.Now, in thelatest Rootscollaborationwith blue jeanicon LeviStrauss &Co., and in a match made in eco-heaven, select Roots locationswill carry diverse collections oforganic denim to suit everyone’sneeds.

Making it even easier to liveand dress green, Levi’s eco-jeansare a complimentary addition tothe Roots sustainable clothingline.

Woven out of 100% organicor recycled cotton, with earth-friendly vegetable dyes andminimal chemical processing,Levi’s denim adds some eco-chic to your wardrobe.

In a hybrid of tradition andinnovation, the new Capital Ecollection is a fashionablechoice. Each ‘ultra premium’

jean is made byhand, making everygarment one-of-a-kind. With avariety of rises andcuts, ranging fromthe trendy slim fitto a gentle flaredleg, the attention todetail and qualitycraftsmanshipmake these pants agreat style invest-ment.

Classic 501’s are the ultimatestraight leg, button-fly jean.Brought in by Roots Co-FounderDon Green, the distinctive redtab and roomy fit make thesejeans one of the brand’s mostrecognized styles. With a fit thatimproves and contours to thebody over time, Levi’s 501’s area sure winner.

Developed by ExecutiveDirector of Retail OperationsJarar Kazmi, Vice President ofMerchandising ShyroseKassam, Senior MerchandiseManager for Men’s and Wom-en’s Julie O’Neill and SeniorBuyer for the Women’s Depart-ment Linda Dritsas, blue jeansare going green.

Leather Karl Kowalewski wasalso on hand to help Idris as heordered two custom awardjackets.

The jackets are popular withcustomers because they offer somany optional details. Flags fromany country, embroidered names,chenille letters and catch phraseslike ‘Hockey Star’ or ‘DanceQueen’ can be placed anywhereon the coat. Customers can evenorder a specific leather for thesleeves to match their shoes.

With such a diverse andinnovative selection of designfeatures, the sky is the limit atRoots when it comes to the best incustomized bags and jackets.

Levi’s Capital E jeans at Roots

Elba, who stopped by Rootsduring the Toronto Film Festival.Along with Andy, Director of

CUSTOMERS HAVE FINAL WORDSpecial customization desk in flagship store now lets shoppers personalize leather goods

BLUE JEANS GO GREENRoots - Levi’s partnership is a big hit


‘CRASH’ COURSE IN FASHIONRoots plays cameo in television drama

Hollywood stylist AmyStofsky loves Roots.Recently, she visited the

Beverly Hills store looking forhandbags to use in ABC’s newseries Cupid. Amy chose several- the St. Tropez, Soho Slide,School Bag, and New Large SlimHobo – to be used by femalecharacters in the series.

“Amy likes our bags becausethey are stylish and unique,” saysAssistant Manager Debbie Jung.“She always thinks of us first ifour product fits in with herproject.”

Cupid stars BobbyCannavale as Trevor Hale, aman who believes he is Cupid

and has been banished to Earthto match 100 couples without theuse of his powers. SarahPaulson plays the role of Dr.

Claire Allen, Cupid’s psychia-trist. The show is written by RobThomas and is a re-working ofhis 1998 series by the same title.

You never know whereRoots will show upnext. In addition to often

being featured in newspapersand magazines, Roots is alsopopular with many people inthe entertainment industry andas a result it’s not uncommonfor Roots items to be part oftheir productions in front ofthe camera.

This fall, Roots productsappear on the small screen inthe television adaptation of

Paul Haggis’ 2004 AcademyAward-winning drama Crash.Several of the most popularRoots bags, including theMidtown, Midtown Slide Luxand Soho Slide Lux, as well asthe men’s Racer Leatherjacket, pop up in the dramaticseries. Touching on racialtensions in Los Angeles, Crashstars Dennis Hopper and TomSizemore among a diverseensemble cast examining thenotion of the American dream.

The New Year will see Rootsmaking yet another cameo

appearance on the big screen.The Village Bag in Oak Princewill have a part in Hangover, anew movie slated for releasenext June. Starring HeatherGraham and Justin Bartha, thefilm follows three groomsmenwho have lost their soon-to-be-married friend during a drunkenescapade in Las Vegas.

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED INTaking attendance of special guests at Roots stores

Justin & SophieTrudeau

Carey Price

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Celebrities have long madea point of shopping atRoots. Here are the latest

sightings of prominent figures inthe world of entertainment,sports andmedia whovisitedRootsstoresrecently:• RobsonSt.,Vancou-

ver – Oscar winning ActorCubaGooding Jr.dropped into buysweaters,Polartecjackets andheadphoneearflap hats.• Centreville,Montreal –Montreal Canadiens star goalieCarey Price was a hit when he

Cupid cast loves Roots leather

Heather Graham stars in Hangover

Canada’s landscapes are someof the most beautiful in the

world. Now they can be seenall-year round in the Roots 2009calendar. Colour photographs,(some taken by Roots Senior ArtDirector Ilich Mejia) of On-tario’s Algonquin Park in thespring, Alberta’s Banff NationalPark in the summer, Ontario’sKillarney Provincial Park in thefall and other striking pastoralshots, adorn its pages.

Coordinated by the Directorof Roots Home, Rima Biback,the calendar makes a greatstocking stuffer. Available atselected Roots stores and Stapleslocations.

Retail price: $16.95

came in to buy a small BanffBag in Africa Tribe.• Mt.Tremblant,Quebec –Justin andSophieTrudeau,with theirson andherparentsstopped byto pick upgloves and toques.

Justin & Sophie Trudeau

Dennis Hopper stars in Crash

ON THE SMALL SCREENStylist picks Roots handbags to be used in new TV series

ON LOCATIONVillage Bag lands rolein upcoming film

New Roots calendaradds colour to 2009

A NEW YEAR


AN EVENING FOR A GREAT CAUSE Roots contributes to the Gala of Pearls auction in Quebec

Supported by Roots, theWest Island Women’sShelter’s fourth annual

fundraiser, The Gala of Pearls,took place this fall in Vaudreuil-Dorion, a suburb of Montreal.The Gala of Pearls supportswomen and their children seekingrefuge from domestic violence.The elaborate event includedpresentations, dinner, dance,raffles and auctions.

“Our objective is to raisefunds for the West IslandWomen’s Shelter so we cancontinue providing services to the

women and children in our areawho come to us for help,” saysKim Carinduff, Director.Proceeds support the shelter’smission to assist women to livewithout physical, psychological,verbal, sexual or financial abuse,a service it’s provided for nearly30 years.

Roots Quebec RegionalDirector Ginette Fillioncoordinated the Roots donation ofthe popular Banff Bag withMichele Henderson, member ofthe Board of the West IslandWomen’s Shelter.

TEDDY BEAR AFFAIRRoots employees take part in Teddy BearChildren’s Foundation Gala

With a hand from Roots,the Teddy Bear Children’s Foundation held

its annual gala to raise funds forToronto’s Hospitalfor Sick Children.

Roots SalesAssociates JonathanMicieli, MichaelPham, and MelissaGallant from theRoots 73 Outlet Storein Woodbridge,Ontario helped kick off thesummer event at the ElPresidente Banquet Hall inConcord, just north of Toronto.The three Roots employeesassisted with welcoming guests,coordinating raffles and photog-raphy during the fundraiser. The

evening, which included dinner,raffles and a dance, attractedmore than 300 people. Allproceeds were donated to the

Palliative Care Unit ofSick Kids Hospital.

The Teddy BearChildren’s Foundationwas started by a groupof young studentsdetermined to make adifference in the lives ofchildren living with

serious illness.“It was a fantastic evening

and a tremendous success,” saysStore Manager Colleen Webber.“I hope my fellow employeesinspire others to give back totheir community and make adifference in the lives of others.”

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAILSpotlighting the top performing stores in October

As this issue of The Sourcewent to press, the finalsales figures for stores in

November were not yet in. But,we’re delighted to report theperformance of most stores inOctober is to be commended.

Topping the pack in terms ofcompany stores was the RideauCentre in Ottawa, Ontario thatcaptured the latest Store of the

Month honours, beating its salestarget by a wide margin.

As for the Roots 73/Outletcategory, the East Point Outletstore in St. John, New Bruns-wick took first place with a scorethat far surpassed others in termsof its sales budget.

Congratulations to JulieBray-Elliot, Manager of theRideau Centre store and Corey

Keirstead, Managerof East Point Outletalong with theirteams for theirwinning perform-ances.

Hats off to all ofthe other stores thatsurpassed their salesgoals in the monthof October.

West Island Women’s Shelter

DRESSED UP FOR THE SEASONAnnual holiday period ushers in festiveaura in stores ahead of December 25

November and Decemberare always special monthsat Roots given the and

festive spirit duringthe lead-up toChristmas and theNew Year. In thelife of almost allretailers, it’s an all-important seasonwith so manypeople purchasinggifts for friends andfamily.

This year, theholiday theme forRoots stores is “comfort and joy”,derived from the time-honouredcomfort of Roots clothing and thejoy of giving Roots as gifts.

The inviting atmosphere ineach store is established with acreative combination of decoration,

props and effective merchandising.Gentle accents of holiday red arefound on the ribbon cling that

wraps up the entire storeand on the vintagepostcards,complimenting thewinter Canadianawindows.

The positiveresponse by bothcustomers and retail staffis especially gratifying tothose at the Roots headoffice behind this year’sholiday presentation.

Credit is due to especiallyStephanie Holden, CreativeDirector; Jay Lopes, Director ofVisual Merchandising; and PeterPaquette, Senior Visual Merchant;and Pauline Laundriault, Directorof Planning and Development.

Roots staff at the Rideau Centre in Ottawa


A U G U S T MAKING TRACKSA guide to the Jerry’s best

MUSICAL ROOTSThis month, we spotlight musical pioneer Jerry Wexler

CHEF’S CORNERRoots-friendly recipes to bring pleasure to your palate

Although the man whogave rhythm and bluesits name and so much

more to modern music diedthis year, his seminal influencelives on. How many livesWexler touched as one of thegreat music business pioneersof the 20th century, propellingthe careers of Ray Charles,Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picketand countless others, isincalculable.

Born Gerald Wexler inNew York to Jewish parents,he grew up during the Depres-sion in Washington Heights inUpper Manhattan. His youthwas marked by late nights atpoolrooms until the mid-1930swhen he developed a passionfor jazz. Wexler became part ofa loosely knit group of recordcollectors and streetwiseintellectuals. Many eventuallybecame captains of the musicindustry: John Hammond andGeorge Avakian at ColumbiaRecords; Milt Gabler and BobThiele at Decca; Alfred Lionand Frank Wolff at Blue Note;and Wexler’s future partners atAtlantic Records, Ahmet andNesuhi Ertegun.

Wexler began in the musicindustry as a writer for Bill-board magazine where hechanged the name of the blackmusic charts from “RaceRecords” to “Rhythm &Blues”. Years later he would

join Atlantic founders Ahmet andNesuhi Ertegun and produceAtlantic’s major R&B artist ofthe time.

Wexler’s efforts were historicin their scope and impact onpopular music. He was instru-mental in bringing black music tothe mainstream, in the processhelping improve race relations atthe same time.

While recording Dusty InMemphis, Dusty Springfield’shallmark album in Memphis,Wexler discovered Stax Recordsand developed a distribution dealthat brought to Atlantic thebrightest stars of Southern soul:Rufus and Carla Thomas, BookerT. and The MGs and OtisRedding. At Stax, and in a fewstudios in nearby Muscle Shoals,

Wexler learned anew way ofmaking records:more organic andimprovised thanthe pressured, pre-written approachtypical of NewYork studios. Hewas soon bringingAtlantic artistssouth to recordincluding WilsonPickett, DonCovay and Samand Dave.

The stage wasset for what todaystands as Wexler’s

greatest single triumph. In 1966,he signed a singer whose contractat Columbia Records had lapsed,and whose potential had yet to berealized. Wexler asked ArethaFranklin to drop the JudyGarland cabaret act, play thepiano herself and focus on hernatural, church-trained way ofsinging. Before one could spell“Respect,” a legend was born.

He was also responsible forsigning such bands as LedZeppelin, Cream, and The BeeGees and went on to producesuch greats as Bob Dylan,Ronnie Hawkins, CarlosSantana, The Staple Singers, DireStraits and George Michael.

“Jerry left his stamp on a lotof great music,” says Jim Henkeof the Rock and Roll Hall Of

Fame. “He had a commercial earas well as a critical ear.” In 1987,the Hall Of Fame recognizedWexler’s contributions to musicby inducting him as a non-performer

In the late 1990s, Wexlermoved to Sarasota, Florida andretired from the music industry.He died last August at 91.– Davin Bujalski

• Listen to Roots Radio to hear musicproduced by Jerry Wexler. To find outmore about Wexler visit: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/memories-of-jerry-wexler-clips-from-immaculate-funk/3323561977

INGREDIENTS1 medium sized butternutsquash, peeled and cut intoabout ½ inch pieces (about 3cups)1 large onion, chopped3 medium cloves garlic,chopped1 TBS chopped fresh ginger1 tsp turmeric1 tsp curry powder1 TBS + 2 ¾ cups chicken orvegetable broth6 oz canned coconut milk2 TBS chopped fresh cilantroSalt & white pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS1. Choponion andgarlic and letsit for 5-10minutes tobring outtheir health-promotingbenefits.2. Peel andcut squash.3. Heat 1 TBS broth in mediumsoup pot. Healthy sauté onion inbroth over medium heat for about 5minutes, until translucent.

4. Addginger,garlic,andcontinueto sautéforanotherminute.Addturmeric,curry

powder, and mix well. Add squashand broth, and mix. Bring to a boilon high heat. Once it comes to aboil, reduce heat to medium low

A few years ago, Jerry Wexlerburned a CD for friends of the

songs he was most proud of from hishalf-century career in music. Here arethe 20 tracks he chose, listedchronologically with the year eachsong was recorded.

1. Professor Longhair, “Tipitina” (1953)2. Ray Charles, “I Got a Woman” (1954)3. Big Joe Turner, “Shake, Rattle and Roll”(1954)4. LaVern Baker, “Tweedlee Dee” (1954)5. Champion Jack Dupree, “Junker’sBlues” (1958)6. The Drifters, “There Goes My Baby”(1959)7. Ray Charles, “What I’d Say” (1959)8. Solomon Burke, “If You Need Me” (1963)9. Booker T. and the MG’s, “Green Onions”(1962)10. Wilson Pickett, “In the Midnight Hour”(1965)11. Aretha Franklin, “Respect” (1967)12. Dusty Springfield, “Son of a PreacherMan” (1969)13. Dr. John, “Iko Iko” (1972)14. Doug Sahm, “(Is Anybody Going to)San Antone” (1973)15. Willie Nelson, “Bloody Mary Morning”(1974)16. The Sanford/Townsend Band, “SmokeFrom a Distant Fire” (1977)17. James Booker, “Winin’ Boy Blues”(1978)18. Etta James, “Take It to the Limit”(1978)19. Dire Straits, “Lady Writer” (1979)20. Bob Dylan, “Gotta Serve Somebody”(1979)

Jerry Wexler and Aretha Franklin circa 1970

Golden butternut squash soup

and simmer until squash is tender,about 10 minutes.5. Place in blender and blend withcoconut milk.

Make sure you blend inbatches filling blender only half full.Start on low speed, so hot soupdoes not erupt and burn you.Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.Season to taste. Reheat and addcilantro.Serves 4-6

• Readers are welcome to sharetheir healthy recipes. Please sendthem to [email protected]

- Compiled by Davin Bujalski


GREEN TIP #52Easy ways to help theenvironment

STARTING LINEUPIntroducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

Regular readers of TheSource know that lastyear, we launched this

special feature to showcasephotos of children wearingRoots. It grew out of the factthat we often receive unso-

Easy ways to stay healthyHEALTH TIP #49

As part of our continuing series of team pictures of all the stores in the Roots retail family, this issue of TheSource is shining the spotlight on the Orchard Park store in Kelowna, British Columbia. Pictured above:

Cindy Manchur, Renee Houle, Melissa Acheson, Carissa Lees, Katie Andrews, Natalia Dubrowski, LaurenKennelly, Lindsay Phillips, Kim Konig, Sarah Gerow, Marie Dakin.

Milan Andres Flores, 8 months, San Diego, CA

licited photos from custom-ers who want to share withus pictures of their children,cousins, nieces, nephews,grandchildren, or even petswearing Roots. They oftenask if they could be used in

a future advertis-ing campaign forthe brand. Wecan’t promisethat but we arehappy to publishthem in The

NATURE’S POLLUTIONFIGHTER: The powerfulantioxidant and detoxifier L-cysteine can help protect yourbody from the harmful effectsof pollution, heavy metals,chemicals, radiation, alcoholand smoke. The substance isfound in eggs, fish, almonds,sesame seeds, soy, pumpkinseeds, peanuts, legumes,avocados, bananas, wholegrains, and brewer’s yeast.

A naturally occurring aminoacid, L-cysteine may also helpboost the immune system,protect against heart disease,build muscle, and decrease fatbuildup. L-cysteine is alsouseful for combatinginflammation and promotinghealthy hair and nail growth.• Source: Secrets of Longevity,by Dr. Maoshing

Source.Everyone is welcome to

submit their favourite shotsto The Source to be consid-ered for publication. Pleasesend your pictures [email protected].

Be sure to include thename and age of each childor pet in the photo, where itwas taken and a sentencestating that you agree for thephotos to be used in TheSource.

A STARRING ROLE: EnergyStar is on its way to becoming ahousehold name, a stardomthat’s well-deserved. Thisinternational symbol of energyefficiency helps consumersidentify the most energy-efficient, cost-saving products.

Both an Energy Star fridgeand front-load washing machineuse up to 50% less energy thanolder models of the sameappliance. An Energy Stardishwasher is at least 25%more energy-efficient than theminimum government standard.So, next time you invest in ahome-appliance, look for thisenvironmentally friendlysuperstar.• Source: Home Depot EcoOptions

Marko Morovac, 7 months, Stoney Creek, ON

Kamilah, 3, Rashad, 3 and Amar Dawood, 3,Scaborough, ONMarko Morovac, 7 months, Stoney Creek, ON


NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

In keeping with thelong-established Rootscommitment to nature,

eco-friendly cotton hasbeen playingan increas-ingly impor-tant role atRoots. Thismonth, themen’s designteam willrelease theSupremeOrganic Tee.Each shirthas one ofthree Latinwordsprinted onthe front,with itsEnglish

translation –- courage, trust,freedom – on the back.Available in three colours,(fog, mist and lichen), this

shirt is a guilt-freeway to add to yourwardrobe.

Pair this T-shirtup with the Liardjacket made of100% cotton Frenchterry. It’s embroi-dered on the frontand has contrastingribbed cuffs andcollar. Featuresinclude a zipperedback pocket forsecure storage,underarm grommetsfor ventilation, and atech pocket forgadgets. Availablein mist, abyss andblack.• Supreme Organic Tee: SizesXS – XXL; Retail price: $30

• Liard Jacket: Sizes XS –XXL; Retail price: $88Supreme Organic Tee

Liard Jacket

This month, theLeather DesignTeam introduces the

newest addition to the inno-vative Roots Flat Bag collec-tion. Made at the company’sleather factory in Toronto, theSide Saddle is a roundedversion of the ever-popularflat bag. Its supple superpalma leather, which has aslight sheen, enhances thelook of the bag. Available inan assortment of colours, theSide Saddle’s features in-clude two easily accessiblefront pockets, a zippered techpocket on the back and an

adjustable shoulder strap.Look for it in Roots storesnow.

Retail price: $228Roots Side Saddle in Deep Purple available now

KEEPIN’ IT STYLISH AND SUSTAINABLESupreme Organic Tee and trendy Liard Jacket

LATEST ADDITION TO LEATHER BAG FAMILYFlat bag inspires new rounded version called the Side Saddle

december 2008

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