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A window into the world of Roots Issue 94 • January/February 2010 The recently launched Roots Kamik Winter Boot (above) along with other boots from the winter collection MAKING WINTER FEET SMILE Roots returns to making quality footwear in Canada, with great style and warmth and durability to boot

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Making Winter Feet Smile - Issue 94

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Page 1: Jan / Feb 2010

Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 1

A window into the world of Roots Issue 94 • January/February 2010

The recently launched Roots KamikWinter Boot (above) along with other

boots from the winter collection

MAKINGWINTER

FEETSMILE

Roots returns to makingquality footwear in Canada,with great style and warmth

and durability to boot

Page 2: Jan / Feb 2010

2 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

DepartmentsFINE PRINT

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED IN

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

MOMENTS THAT MATTER

STAYING POWER

GREEN TIPS

HEALTH TIPS

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of recent letters from the world of Roots

I N S I D EI S S U E 9 4

EXPRESS YOURSELFWe invite you to send us your let-ters and/or your most creativephotos or illustrations for publi-cation in The Source.

Please send your submis-sions to [email protected]

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantCAROLINE IWANOWSKI

InternNADIA MALIK

The Source is published by RootsCanada Ltd. We welcome letters fromreaders for publication. Please addressall correspondence to The Source,Letters to the Editor, Roots Canada,1400 Castlefield Ave., Toronto, Ontario,M6B 4C4 or by email [email protected] Letters may beedited for length and clarity. Each issue of The Source is alsoavailable, both in blog and PDF formats,on the Roots website at www.roots.com

SPEEDY DELIVERYI’m writing you about the greatservice I received from ChrisWhaley, the manager at yourWilliam Street store in Ottawa.

I needed a fringed bag in darkbrown for my daughter’s birth-day. I left buying it until the daybefore her birthday and when Ivisited your William Streetlocation, the bag was not instock. Chris called around toother Roots stores until he foundone and had it shipped to hisstore the next day.

Even better, Chris told methat if the bag did not arrive intime for my daughter’s birthday,he would personally pick up thebag to ensure I got it in time. Igreatly appreciated his efforts.Hilary CraneOttawa, ON

LOST AND FOUNDI wanted to tell you about thegreat customer service I receivedfrom Danielle Ellis, the managerat your Midtown Plaza store inSaskatoon. I went there after I’dlost my wallet.

I figured I had nothing to losewhen I asked Danielle whetherRoots kept track of customercredit notes, as I had a Rootscredit note in my lost wallet. Iexpected an “it’s-not-our-problem” attitude, but insteadDanielle said she would call theHead Office and find out.

The next day, I received amessage on my answeringmachine from Danielle sayingshe was able to cancel the lost

credit note and process a gift cardthat I could pick up for the samevalue.

As a result, I want to thankRoots for having such a greatpolicy for lost credit notes.Furthermore, Danielle wentabove and beyond what she hadto do.

I wish that more stores werelike Roots with staff as helpful asDanielle was to me. It’s prettyawful to lose your wallet but atleast my experience at Rootsmade me feel a bit better.Erika LairdSaskatoon, SK

KUDOS TO KATEYIt’s not often you receive greatcustomer service these days so Ihave a story I want to tell.

For about three years now, I’dbeen eyeing the beautiful Rootsflat bags. Every once in a whileI’d go into a Roots store to ‘visitthe purse’, thinking maybe I’dmake the purchase one day.

Recently, when I was ‘visit-ing’ the purses, one of your salesstaff told me about the quality ofthe flat bags. I didn’t buy it atthat point, but on my next visit, Idecided to go for it. I had myheart set on the Venetian Villagebag in Canadian Red, but yourRideau Centre location in Ottawadidn’t have it in stock. KateyCotter, a sales associate, saidthat she would call around andtry to find one for me. She calledacross Canada, finally found thebag in Calgary and had it shippedto Ottawa for me. I want to thank

Roots for its high standard ofcustomer service. Please giveKatey the recognition shedeserves.Natalie CollinsOttawa, ON

GOOD AS NEWI recently had the best customerservice experience of my life atyour Robson Street store inVancouver. A drink had spilledon my Lauren Pebble bag and Itook it directly back to Roots toseek advice on having it cleaned.Jenny Ong, an assistant storemanager, immediately helped me.After leaving my name andphone number, she called meback and suggested that I bringthe bag in and have it sent to theHead Office for cleaning by therelevant Roots service.

When I picked up my bag, Isaw that Roots was indeed ableto remove the stain. I’m thrilledwith the outcome and the brilliantcustomer service that Jennyprovided me through this entireprocess.

Hats off to Roots for havingsuch great staff and thank you forre-uniting me with my favouritehandbag so quickly.Karen MichlVancouver, BC

IT’S A DIGITAL WORLDE-commerce Dept. cel-ebrates a decade onlinewith plans for the future

TRUE NORTHYukon team to sport Rootsat Arctic Winter Games inMarch

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENTRoots outfits star-studdedcast and crew of film andTV programs

BACK ON THE SILVERSCREENRoots bags and apparelhighly visible in newlyproduced Canadian film

TAKING PRIDEStore manager praises herteam for exemplary effortduring holiday period

STEPPING UP FOR HAITIRoots supports Caribbeannation devastated byJanuary earthquake

Page 3: Jan / Feb 2010

Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 3

With its return to making quality boots in Canada, Roots helps customers put theirbest foot forward this winter. BY NADIA MALIK

A GREAT FEATFOR WINTER FEET

Available for men andwomen, the Roots KamikWinter Boot can withstandtemperatures as low as-40°C

Continued on next page

For many Canadians,winter is a chance to getoutside and enjoy all thatthe season has to offer.

From ice hockey to ice fishing,there are countless outdooractivities to partake in during thesnow-filled months. But to trulyembrace the season of frozenlakes and sobering wind-chillfactors, Canadians know thatquality winter wear is essential.

From coats to toques togloves, Roots has long been apreferred destination for thoseseeking stylish, practical winterapparel. Adding to the line-up,the company recently returned tomaking footwear for men andwomen specifically for the coldseason.

“The whole concept of theRoots winter boots program is tomake functional, relevantfootwear that’s made to weatherthis climate that is indigenous toour country and a natural part ofour lifestyle,” says Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman.“Roots loves the winter. We loveskating, skiing and tobogganing.The ultimate winter activity formany of us at Roots is to be onan outdoor skating rink playinghockey.”

It’s this love of winter thatled to the recent creation of theRoots Kamik Winter Boot.Available for both men andwomen, the boots are made towithstand bone-chilling tempera-tures as low as -40°C. To thatend, their New Zealand shearlingsheepskin collar is designed tohug the leg while preventingsnow from getting in. Anotherimportant feature are the boot’suppers. Like all leather goodsmade by Roots, the uppers arerigorously tested to ensuredurability.

“A lot of preparation went inthe design and production ofthese boots,” says LeatherSpecialist Karl Kowalewski.

“In working directly with ourtanneries in Italy, we developedthe leather for these boots to bewaterproof and yet have a verynatural look.”

It was critical to bothMichael and Karl that the RootsKamik Winter Boot be made inCanada. As their name suggests,the boots are made in partnershipwith Kamik, a Quebec-basedcompany that has been manufac-turing footwear for more than100 years.

Kamik is known for itsexpertise in rubber-soled boots.Unlike cheaper alternatives, theRoots Kamik Boot’s naturalrubber sole doesn’t harden whensubjected to extremely cold

temperatures, which allows forbetter traction.

With Kamik’s proventechnology and the celebratedaesthetic of Roots, the twocompanies worked as a team tocreate the boot. Throughout theentire process, Michael and Karlwere involved with every designaspect, from the aniline dye tobring out the natural characteris-tics of the leather to the place-ment of the crest and the numberof stitches per inch. Their keenattention to detail ensures theboots meet the high standard ofquality customers have come toexpect from Roots.

The inspiration for the bootpredates the company itself. “My

love of this boot stems back to1968 when I was shopping at aplace called Wardell’s TradingPost, in Huntsville [just outsideOntario’s Algonquin Park],” saysMichael. “It was a great storethat sold blankets, flannel shirtsand boots. The first time I everreally saw serious winter bootswas through them and the onesthey sold for skidooing. I’vealways been a big fan of suchboots and I’m so proud thatwe’re now making this kind ofproduct.”

Introduced in mid-December,the boots have proven quitepopular, exceeding all expecta-tions.

“This is the warmest bootI’ve ever owned,” says BarbieDee, a satisfied Roots customerwho submitted a product reviewto the Roots website. “It’s sowell made and comfortable that Ijust ordered another pair for myson. If you want to get out andenjoy the inevitable in Canada –namely, winter – you need theseboots!”

The boot has even received acelebrity endorsement. “I sent apair to Michael Douglas forChristmas since he spends a lotof time in Mont Tremblant[Quebec],” says Michael, alongtime friend of the AcademyAward-winning actor. “He saidit’s the absolute best boot he’sever had and the only present hereally needed for the holidays.”

Meanwhile, as part of thereturn of Roots to makingfootwear in Canada, an array ofboots is now available includingthe Riding Boot and RussianVamp Boot for women, launchedin the fall. The company hasrecently unveiled two new stylesfor both men and women, theNordic Boot and the sheepskinMid Shearling Boot.

The new line of footwearbuilds on the rich experience

Page 4: Jan / Feb 2010

4 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

Continued from previous page

A great deal of skill and expertise goes into each boot. Filomena DeJesus puts the finishing touches on the Nordic Boot while KhorenBarkhordarian (below) works on the Tuffer Boot

Brothers Karl, (left), and Henry Kowalewski, at the leather factory,have played a vital role at Roots since it began in 1973

gained from the company’s pastmanufacturing of footwearduring its first 30 years ofbusiness, particularly its connec-tions with well-establishedtanneries and sole manufactur-ers.

Past styles are playing aninfluential role in the design oftoday’s lines, as sheepskin bootswere first made and sold atRoots in 1974. The Desert Bootfor men is also a re-issue of aclassic.

“With each style there is ahistory,” says Karl. “We havetaken beautiful classics andgiven them a modern interpreta-tion. What remains constant isour commitment to solid work-manship, quality and comfort.”

Another boot that is anupdated take on a customerfavourite is the Tuffer Boot. Likeits predecessor, the Tuff Boot,the Tuffer Boot is built to handlerough terrain in any season. TheTuffer Boot is one of severalboots that feature the RootsMilitary Sole, which wasdeveloped for use by the Cana-dian Forces. Roots acquired theexclusive rights to the sole,

outside of the military. The solesare made of natural rubber,making them durable andlightweight with excellenttraction. They are also able towithstand both severe heat andcold with a tread design thatprevents snow or dirt fromgetting trapped in the soles. Allof these qualities make theTuffer Boot ideal for year-rounduse.

Given the strong perform-ance of footwear this winter,expect to see a wider assortmentof shoes and boots in upcomingseasons. Plans are underway tointroduce the Spectator Bootalong with a shorter, mid-calfsuede riding boot and a wing-tipankle boot for women in thespring. There are also plans for amore feminine Roots Kamikboot for Winter 2010.

The new collection offootwear from Roots, from theRoots Kamik Winter Boot to theRussian Vamp Boot, has a styleto suit every taste. What eachboot has in common is thequality and durability that Rootsis known for, and the capacity tokeep winter feet smiling, whichis no small feat. – N.M.

Desert Boot

Military Sole of MidShearling Boot

Nordic Boot

Mid Shearling Boot Kamik Boot

Page 5: Jan / Feb 2010

Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 5

NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION1. 2. 3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.9.

1. Men’s Patriot Ringer T-Shirt– South Korea, $342. International Wristlet –Russia, $683. Babies Patriot T-Shirt –Jamaica, $16.954. Australia Scarf, $485. Men’s Patriot Full ZipHoody – Canada, $706. Canada Pennant; HeritageRed, $7.957. Italy Key Chain in TribeLeather, $188. USA Beret, $349. International Wristlet –China, $68

Page 6: Jan / Feb 2010

6 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 10.

11.

1. Village Pack International –Norway, $1082. Russia Toque, $263. Germany Scarf, $484. Student Pack International– Finland, $2485. South Korea Pennant;Vintage White, $7.956. Douglas Duffel Interna-tional – USA, $3987. Women’s Patriot Full ZipHoody – Italy, $708. Great Britain Key Chain inTribe Leather, $189. Kids Patriot T-Shirt –Canada, $1910. Men’s Patriot Ringer T-Shirt – USA, $3411. Passport Wallet Interna-tional – USA, $68

Page 7: Jan / Feb 2010

Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 7

WOMEN’S SPRING PREVIEW1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6.7.

8. 9. 10.

1. Equinox Capri; CharcoalMix, $502. Lauren Deep V Neck T-Shirt; Claret Red, $243. Roots Original PocketedCrop (Eco); Dewberry Mi, $504. Essential Long Tank; ClaretRed, $205. Vintage Heather Raglan T-Shirt; Parachute, $396. Grassroots Hoody; Herit-age Red, $707. Lowell Utility Jacket;Charcoal Mix, $988. Capri Hoody; Rio Red, $749. Lux Sweater Dress; Cobalt,$7810. Buffalo Fleece CocoonCoat; Salt and Pepper, $128

Page 8: Jan / Feb 2010

8 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

MEN’S SPRING PREVIEW1. 2. 3.

4. 5.6.

7.

8.

1. Pacific T-Shirt; Chalkboard,$402. Berland Flat Back RibHoody; Nautical Navy, $803. Heritage Flannel Shirt;Vintage White, $554. Mackay Baseball T-Shirt;White/Black, $395. Fashion Basic Full ZipHoody; New Spruce, $706. Alver Open BottomSweatpant; Salt and Pepper,$607. Elias Softshell Jacket;Black, $1458. Augusta Sweater, NauticalNavy; $78

Page 9: Jan / Feb 2010

Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 9

Country superstar ShaniaTwain participated in theOlympic Torch relay in

her hometown of Timmins,Ontario on New Year’s Day.

The following afternoon, ata special invitation-only eventat the Shania Twain Centre,she proudly sported a greenRoots sweatshirt and Right toPlay baseball cap. Shepresented the torch and relayoutfit to Timmins mayor TomLaughren ahead of the itemsbeing put on display at theCentre.

“Every time I come intothis building [the ShaniaTwain Centre], I’m verymoved by the fact that I’mable to do a very, very smallpart in trying to representwhat it is for a small town girlto come from here and liveout her dream,” Twain said.

Star returns to Timmins tocarry Olympic torch

SHANIA TWAINSHOWS HER ROOTS

Big developments in thelife of Roots staff

MOMENTSTHAT MATTER

Gwen Darling, Manager ofthe Limeridge Mall store inHamilton, ON, welcomed ababy girl, Abigail GwenythVayle Darling, on January12.

Hearty congratulations toGwen for this great momentin her life.

As Roots ushered in the NewYear on a high point, bothin terms of its e-commerce

plans for the coming months andimpressive website traffic andsales, www.roots.com shows nosigns of slowing down.

The holiday period provedthat Canadians are increasinglycomfortable with shoppingonline. Roots promoted CyberMonday in Canada for the firsttime in November using socialmedia and an online publicrelations campaign, leading torecord-breaking results. Duringthe Christmas season, the RootsE-commerce Departmentcelebrated its 10th anniversarywith more shoppers browsing onroots.com than usual and usingthe site to look for gift itemsbefore going into stores.

Roots is in the vanguard ofcompanies using the ever-growing online world of socialmedia. It’s moved from justblogging and announcinginformation on Facebook, toperforming customer servicethrough social media accountsand allowing customers to set upuser profiles on roots.com. InJanuary, Roots hit 10,000

E-commerce Dept. celebrates a decade online with great plans for the futureIT’S A DIGITAL WORLD

Facebook fans and severalthousand Twitter followers. Itplans to keep engaging consum-ers online by providing themwith Roots news and promo-tions, and more interestinginformation on the web.

“We will continue to inte-grate content from roots.cominto Facebook and other socialwebsites. This allows us tobroadcast information to userseverywhere about things likewhat products people like to thewebsites that are most helpful tothem,” says James Connell,Senior Director, E-Commerceand New Media.

The E-Commerce Depart-ment has many initiativesplanned for 2010. These includemaking roots.com easier to use,integrating the site more withretail stores, and allowing Rootscustomers and fans to accessinformation no matter wherethey are. Social media willcontinue to be a vital tool forRoots as smart phones begin totake over from home computersand laptops as the primary wayfor consumers to retrieveinformation.

The biggest project for 2010

will be the evolution of the‘never-lose-a-sale’ program.Customers in stores will be ableto buy an item that’s located atanother store or online and easilyhave it shipped to their home. Ifan online customer wants anitem that’s sold out online, thesystem will check to see if astore has it and it will be shippedto them from that store.

In the future, the E-com-merce Dept. will focus onmaking roots.com more inte-grated with all parts of thebusiness. The goal is to allow thesite to act as a central point forinformation for customers andstaff, create more personalizedmarketing campaigns, and amore intuitive website withenhanced product imaging anduse of video. It will also exploremore options for mobile users.

“Analysts believe that withinthe next five years the majorityof Internet traffic will come frommobile devices and our homeTVs will be integrated with theInternet,” says James. “Thosetwo changes alone can revolu-tionize e-commerce and allow usto further enhance both the in-store and online shoppingexperiences for our customersand fans.”

Roots first delved into theworld of e-commerce in Decem-ber 1999 when it began selling alimited selection of leather bags,sweats and watches on roots.comfor customers in North America.In the past decade, it has greatlyexpanded its product base, andadded Interac payments andenhanced imaging, all of whichmake roots.com more flexibleand easier for customers to use.

For the first time, Roots willoutfit Team Yukon for theupcoming Arctic Winter

Games (AWG).With the help of Anne Marie

Hargreaves, Business-To-Busi-ness Account Manager, Rootscustom-designed track pants,hoodies and long sleeve shirts forthe approximately 400 members ofTeam Yukon.

Made in Canada, the uniformsincorporate the team’s logo and itsofficial colours, purple and red. The

shirts are made from 100% cottonand the hoodies and track pantsare fleece providing added comfort.

The Arctic Winter Games are acircumpolar competition of 21indoor and outdoor sports, fornorthern and Arctic athletes. Thecompetition, which includesvarious traditional Arctic sports,occurs every two years and thisyear the games will be held inGrande Prairie, Alberta, March 6 -13. For more information on theAWG visit, www.awg2010.org.

TRUE NORTHYukon team to sport Roots at Arctic Winter Games in March

Back row (L - R): Katherine Wellman, Anjali Singh, James Connell, Yohance Leslie,Victora Lee. Front row (L - R): Ashlee Charette, Tanja Zelko, Sarah Townshend,Jennifer Dwivedi

Page 10: Jan / Feb 2010

10 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

Easy ways to stay healthyHEALTH TIP #55

JUNKFOODMAKE-OVERS:Healthyeating

doesn’t have to mean givingup the foods you love. A littlecreativity can increase thehealth quotient of yourfavourite foods while stillsatisfying your cravings.Pizza: Switch to a wholewheat, thin crust. Wholewheat adds fibre and proteinwhile a thin crust reduces fatand calories. Ask for half thecheese to cut saturated fatand add extra vegetables.Lower fat by another 3 to 5grams by blotting your pizzawith a napkin to absorbexcess grease.Burritos: By choosing aburrito over a taco, you’realready making a healthierchoice by having a tortillainstead of a fried taco shell.For a leaner burrito, trychicken, black beans orseafood instead of refriedbeans, pork or beef. Add extrasalsa, which is low in caloriesand fat free and skip the highfat sour cream.Soft Drinks: While there aremany diet soft drinks on themarket, some people don’tlike the taste of sugar substi-tutes. For a healthy alterna-tive, mix a few of your favour-ite fruit juices with equal partsclub soda. Try cranberry andorange or pomegranate andpineapple.Fries: French fries are loadedwith fat and calories. Try ovenfries instead. Cut a largeYukon Gold potato intowedges, and toss with 2teaspoons of oil and salt totaste. Bake for 20 min at 450°F, turning once. The recipeserves two and has only 103calories and 5 grams of fatper serving, of which only 1gram is saturated.• Source: www.realage.com

WRITE ON!Please send your letters [email protected]. Lettersmay be edited for length andclarity.

At the same time, we inviteyou to send us your most creativephotos or illustrations forpublication in The Source.

Please send your submis-sions to [email protected]

The Source wants to hear from you

Roots outfits star-studded cast and crew of film and TV programsTHAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

In recent months, true to form,Roots has been active in thefilm and television world,

adding one film and three TVprograms to its already illustri-ous list.

The cast and crew of TheOther Guys were outfitted inmore than 500 Roots DarkMidnight Full Zip Hoodies,which have the film’s nameembroidered on the front in gold.The Other Guys is an upcomingaction/ comedy movie starringmany famed actors, includingSamuel L. Jackson, Mark

Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, EvaMendes, and Anne Heche.

For Nurse Jackie, a comedyTV series starring Edie Falco,more than 200 Black Zip Poloswere ordered for the cast andcrew of the show’s secondseason. The show’s name isembroidered on the front of thegarment.

The daytime talk show, TheBonnie Hunt Show, orderedmore than 200 Dark MidnightZip Polos with the show’s logoembroidered on the front for thecast and crew of its second

season.As part of its ongoing work

with Roots, Jimmy Kimmel Livereordered 75 Dark Midnight FullZip Hoodies. A long-runningsouvenir, these sweatshirts aregifts for celebrity guests whovisit the ABC late night talk show.

All orders were coordinatedby Los-Angeles based Rootsrepresentative WendyGoodman, and Senior ProductCoordinator in the Business-To-Business Department MaryJane Saliba. All the apparelwas made in Canada.

Jimmy Kimmel’s crew received full zip hoodies while the cast of Nurse Jackie ordered zip polos

Roots bags and apparel highly visible in new filmBACK ON THE SILVER SCREEN

Building on its longstandingtradition of getting itsproducts in the entertain-

ment spotlight, Roots now has anew Canadian movie to add tothe list.

At the initiative of MelindaMcDonald, VP of Wholesaleand Business Development,Roots leather bags and apparelfigure prominently throughoutthe upcoming Canadian filmTextuality. Its cast and crew werealso outfitted in the Roots EcoBamboo Jacket and Toque.

Filmed in Toronto, Textualitytells the story of two peopleattempting to begin a romance,

LEE STRIPED SCARFIS IN STYLERoots accessory gets acelebrity mention in InStyle

Diane Kruger, star of thehit film InglouriousBasterds, was recently

asked by InStyle magazineto name a great gift under$50. The Source wasdelighted to see that Krugerchose a scarf from Roots.

In the online article, theLee Striped Scarf in Cay-enne figured prominentlynext to a picture of theactor. Clearly, Kruger isn’tthe only fan of thesescarves as the Lee StripedScarf was sold out onlinebefore the holidays.

who must first exit the multiplerelationships they were manag-ing through their BlackBerryphones before they met. A crossbetween Calfornication andYou’ve Got Mail, Textuality is acomedy about how technologycan make it easier for GenerationY to feel connected, yet harderto truly connect.

Produced and written byCanadians Marc Rigaux andLiam Card of Strident Films, theromantic comedy stars CarlyPope (Californication and 24),Jason Lewis (of Sex and theCity) and Eric McCormack (Willand Grace).

Jason Lewis Carly Pope Eric McCormack

Page 11: Jan / Feb 2010

Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 11

FINE PRINT

Here are somerecent sightingsof Roots in thepages ofnewspapers andmagazines:

A selection of coverageof Roots in the mediaThis year, Roots and

Moosehead brewery havejoined forces once again for

a winter celebration of Canadawith a special in-case beerpromotion.

Beginning in late January, inbeer stores across Ontario, every24-pack of Moosehead premiumlager includes a bonus, limitededition Roots toque inside.

The toques incorporate theCanadian flag, the Roots logoand the campaign’s slogan“Cheers” on one side, and theMooshead logo on the other.Available in six assorted colours(green, brown, grey, black, navyand red), the toques allowcustomers to wear them which-ever way they like.

Building on last year’s success, Roots and Moosehead launch new promotionTEAMING UP AGAIN

In November, the twocompanies collaborated for thefirst time to create a specialholiday gift set which included alimited edition Roots-Moosehead scarf, two bottles ofMoosehead lager and twoMoosehead glasses.

“This first promotion provedto be a great success,” says

Patricia MacInnis, Business-To-Business Account Manager atRoots who has been workingwith Moosehead for six months.“Within three weeks, we had a97% sell-through and we expectthe toque promo to be just aspopular with customers.”

The Roots and Mooseheadpartnership is a natural fit, asboth believe in making qualityproducts that reflect the spirit ofCanada. To launch the currentcampaign, the two companiesproduced a radio commercialcurrently on-air. Lobby displaysare also present in beer stores inthe Toronto region.

What’s next? A spring/summer campaign featuringRoots-Moosehead T-shirts.

• Chatelaine, Feb. issue.Featured Roots Women’s bluenylon-spandex zip-up jacket.• Canadian Living, Feb. Kiltieleather bag in red highlighted inValentine’s Day feature.• National Post, Jan. 16. Articleentitled “Show your stripes”featured International Collectionand Canada Collection by Roots.• Globe and Mail, Jan. 14.Roots mentioned in article aboutRight to Play.• Now magazine, Jan. 7. “WeWant” section features coinpurses from InternationalCollection.• Toronto Star, Jan. 7. Spotlighton new Roots Winter Boots.• Toronto Star, Dec. 26. Designexperts Colin and Justin highlightRoots Home collection and in-store styling.• Chatelaine, Dec. 22. Kate’sStyle Desk featured the Interna-tional Collection.• Globe and Mail, Dec. 19.Article on plaid trend featuredBuffalo plaid items from Holidaycollection.• New York Times, Dec. 18.Article mentioned CanadaCollection by Roots.• Toronto Star, Dec. 17.Highlighted Buffalo check itemsfrom Holiday collection.• Pique Newsmagazine, Dec.16. Reference to CanadaCollection by Roots.• Canadian Press, Dec. 15.Article mentioned CanadaCollection by Roots.• Beautycrazed.ca, Dec. 11.Spotlight on Spring 2010collection.• Canadian Living, Dec.Featured Men’s and Women’splaid pajama pants.• National Post, Dec. 12. Articleentitled “Holiday Gift Guide: ForGrown-Ups!” featured MichelleBag in bordeaux.• Lou Lou, Winter. Spotlight onGym Bag in rustler leather.• National Post, Dec. 5.Women’s Tall Boots in tribeleather appeared in articleentitled “The season’s bestboots.”• Sweetspot.ca, Nov. 25.Spotlight on small School Bag intribe leather.• eTALK Daily, Nov. SmallSchool bag in tribe leatherfeatured in holiday gifting ideasegment.• Chatelaine, Holiday. Spotlighton Olivia bag in red and blackbuffalo check.

Dear NewmarketTeam (Cassandra,Dana, Debra, JennaC., Jenna W.,Jennifer, Jessica,Julia, Katie, Laura,Shanika, Shannon,Sherry and Taylor)

I’ve had theopportunity to workwith fantastic staffover the past fiveyears at variousRoots stores(Pearson Airport;Hillcrest; Pickering; and Newmar-ket). Although there are manyemployees at every store that doa great job, I’ve never seen anentire team come together like Isaw this holiday season inNewmarket.

As this is our busiest time ofthe year, there’s a fair bit ofstress, in part due to the season’schallenging goals. There weremoments we didn’t know howwe’d get through the day andaccomplish everything, fromvisual flips to something assimple as completing the stock,but we did it. We stayed positiveand we supported each otherwhen we needed to. (We alsothrew in a great sense of humourto keep us laughing!)

I saw the hard work everyone

Store manager praises her team for exemplary effort during holiday periodTAKING PRIDE

Recently, Rachel Roos, Manager of the Roots store in Newmar-ket, Ontario, contacted us, saying she was so impressed by theway her team performed during the holiday period that she

wanted to share her appreciation with readers of The Source. Here’san excerpt from her letter to her staff:

put in – coming in on short notice;staying much longer than Ioriginally scheduled for windowchanges (five windows can bequite challenging); keeping upwith visual standards daily;focusing on conversion hourly;and two-minute meetings thatturned into 10-minute meetingswith the zone charts.

I know it often seemed likethere was a number for every-thing. We had a Right to Playgoal, a Gift With Purchase goal, acustomer goal, a KPI (keyperformance indicators) goal,leather goals, and – let’s notforget – our budget goal. I know Iraised my expectations by askingstaff to know these numbers atany given time.

When we began, many of you

looked almost overwhelmed. Butyou all came through, showingthe willingness and confidence tolearn new concepts and, in theprocess, vastly exceeding our

financial targetsfor the holidayperiod. You alldeserve recogni-tion for thismajor achieve-ment. I know itdidn’t comeeasy.

Thank youfor taking thetime to find outwhat ourcustomers wereshopping for andshowing excite-

ment about it when you showedthem our collection. I heard theenthusiasm you shared withcustomers when you would talkabout a new leather colour by itsRoots colour name; how muchthey are going to love the MantraPant; what Right to Play sup-ports; or what new great colourswe had the Grassroots Hoody in.

You all truly ‘A.C.E.d’ it thisholiday. Each of you has traitsand ideas that make us such awell-rounded team. I appreciateall the roles that each of you play.Without one of you, it justwouldn’t be the same. Thank youfor being so exceptionallydedicated this holiday season.You’re an incredible team.

Sincerely,Rachel

Roots-Moosehead toques

(L to R): Shannon, Cassandra, Taylor, Julia, Jennifer, Jenna C.,Rachel, Dana andDebra. Missing in photo: Sherry, Shanika, Laura, Katie, Jessica and Jenna W.

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12 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

In the wake of the humanitar-ian disaster in Haiti caused bya massive earthquake, Roots

was quick to contribute to reliefefforts. As part of the ‘RootsCares’ program, Roots initiated acompany-wide fundraisingcampaign. For each dollardonated by employees, Rootsmatched it with another dollar.With the Canadian governmentdoubling each dollar raised, theRoots initiative generated a totalof $68,000 for the Canadian Red

Roots supports Caribbean nation devastated by January earthquakeSTEPPING UP FOR HAITI

Cross (CRC) (including thematching funds from Ottawa)for use in the quake-ravagednation.

In addition, Roots launchedthe ‘Help Haiti’ leather braceletas another way to raise moneyfor the cause. Made in the Rootsfactory in Toronto, the braceletsretail for $5 with 100% of theproceeds going to the CRC.Such cause-related braceletshave proven effective in the past.Roots sold similar bracelets in

2004 to raise significant fundsfor victims of a massive Carib-bean hurricane and again in 2005for survivors of the tsunami inSouth Asia.

Given that the quake in Haitileft many people with only theclothes on their backs, Rootsalso donated clothing. In partner-ship with the Canadian WildlifeFederation and coordinated byAnne Marie Hargreaves, B2BAccount Manager, Rootsdonated 1,500 units of adult,kids and babies clothing.

At the same time, manyRoots stores organized their ownfundraisers for Haiti. AllisonFortier, Manager of the Placed’Orleans store in Ottawa.Allison collected money at theRussell Association for Perform-ing Arts (RAPA), the commu-nity-based theatre group shebelongs to, raising $150.

Roots also lent its support toan initiative organized by amember of Canada’s Haitiancommunity. Daniella Etienne ofUniversal Music Canada held abenefit in Toronto in late Januarywith performances by local DJs.Roots donated a Banff leatherbag (retail value: $338) for useas a silent auction prize.

Meanwhile, in a differentkind of charitable initiative, thisone to bring some holiday cheerto disadvantaged residents inToronto, the Roots head officeheld a food drive in December.Beginning with the semi-annualSample Sale and lasting for anadditional week, the companycollected 840 lbs. of non-perishable food items fromemployees and customers whichRoots donated to the DailyBread Food Bank, that fightshunger in Toronto.

Last month with greatfanfare, The Globe andMail featured an article on

the front page of its businesssection declaring the supposednew trend towards lighter, morefunctional handbags for women.According to staff journalistMarina Strauss, designers haveonly recently begun to satisfy theneed for sensible purses.

The article came as a totalsurprise to Roots leather special-ist Karl Kowalewski.

“It’s interesting that they[The Globe and Mail] saydesigners are only starting torealize this trend now,” saysKarl. “Roots has been makinglightweight bags for more thanfive years.” The Flat Bagcollection, which includes thecompany’s top selling VillageBag, is designed to be bothcompact and practical.

While competitors have onlyrecently shifted to lightermaterials, Roots has long been aproponent of light, durableleather. The Flat Bag collectioncomes in a variety of leathersincluding Prince Leather, whichis only 1.3 mm thick. Karlworked directly with tanneries inItaly to ensure that the leather

AHEAD OF THE TRENDMedia may only now be discovering it, but Roots has long been making handbags lightweight and practical

was strong enough for daily useand devel-oped to become morebeautiful with age. Other bagsthat use Prince Leather includethe Olivia Bag and the Carla Bag.

As another way of makingbags lighter, designers are shyingaway from heavy accessories infavour of pleating, shirring andquilting. The design team atRoots has traditionally eschewedornate detailing and focused onfunctional hardware. WhileRoots has always used fabriclinings, other companies are onlynow making the switch, replac-ing heavier suede and leather.

The Globe and Mail journal-

ist highlighted British researchthat stated the weight of theaverage handbag has dropped57% to 1.5 kg over the last twoyears. The Village Bag, filledwith a wallet, cell phone, iPod,car keys and several other itemsfound in most women’s purses,weighed in at 1.2 kg.

Roots has always designedits handbags with functionality inmind. Many bags in the Flat Bagcollection come with a generous,fully adjustable 1.5-inch strap tominimize neck and back strain.

Other bags are designed for aspecific purpose. With sevencompartments, the new PonyExpress Bag can hold a netbookalong with daily necessities.

Evening bags have alsobecome more functional, withmore stores selling handbagsthat convert to clutches. This toois not a new concept to Roots.The upcoming Cargo purse, acompact bag available in suedeor leather, includes a removablestrap to transform it into a pursesuitable for night time use.

GLOBAL APPEALCo-Founders visit Roots operations in the Far East

As part of the continuing development of Roots in Asia,

Co-FoundersDon GreenandMichaelBudmanrecentlywere inHong Kongand TaiwanvisitingvariousRoots locations and doingnumerous interviews with localmedia. While they were in theflagship store in Taipei, Michaeland Don met with journalists,

introducing the Right To Playcollection in addition to the

CanadaCollection ByRoots. So far,both collec-tions havemet withhighlyfavourablefeedback andgeneratedstrong salesin Asia.

This year, Roots will bepursuing its expansion in the FarEast including in China where itrecently opened a new location inthe city of Chengdu.

Village Bag in Tribe Leather

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Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 13

Easy ways to help theenvironment

GREEN TIP #58

CAP YOURCOMPUT-ING EMIS-SIONS:There aremany waysyou can

make your computinghabits more eco-friendly.While everyone knows toprint on both sides andpower down at night, thereare other ways to greenyour PC:• Use power managementsettings: Set your compu-ter so it goes to sleep after15 minutes of inactivity.This can cut the electricityused by your PC by 50%.• Ditch the desktop:Laptops are a more effi-cient choice as they useless energy than desktops(between 15 and 45 wattsas compared to desktops,which use between 60 and250 watts).• Buy a new monitor:Older, CRT monitors use80 watts of energy whilenewer, LCD monitors onlyneed 35 watts.• Choose a green font:Download Ecofont(www.ecofont.eu) and useup to 20% less ink thanregular fonts.• Switch to an inkjet:Inkjets use 90% lessenergy than lasers. How-ever, avoid the cheapestinkjets on the market asthey won’t last long and willneed to be disposed ofsooner.• Plug into a power bar:When electronics are offthey still consume energywhen plugged in, a conceptknown as phantom power.To minimize this, plugeverything into a power bar,which can be switched offat the end of the day.• Dispose responsibly:Since computers containhazardous materials, findout where you can disposeof your computer safely atwww.dowhatyoucan.ca.• Source:www.greenlivingonline.com

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

Celebrities have longmade a point of shop-ping at Roots. Here are the

latest sightings of prominentfigures from the world of entertain-ment and sports who visited Rootsstores recently:• Spring Garden, Halifax, NS –Jason Priestley, Canadian-American actor and film director,best known for his role in the TVseries Beverly Hills, 90210, stoppedby to purchase a few children’sitems including the Hunter ThermalTee, the Heritage Shirt Dress andthe Happy Cardigan.• Bloor St., Toronto – Drake, akaAubrey Drake Graham, Canadianrapper and actor, shopped for someRoots Original Sweats and pur-chased a Toronto Kanga Hoody.• Los Angeles, CA – Larry King,host of CNN’s nightly interviewprogram, Larry King Live, wasspotted wearing his Jimmy KimmelRoots sweatshirt. The shirt wasgiven to Larry by Jimmy Kimmelhimself.• Princess Street, Kingston, ON –Viggo Mortensen, American actorand star of A History of Violence andThe Lord of the Rings trilogy, wasspotted shopping with a femalecompanion, who purchased awomen’s Canada T-shirt in black.

Jason Priestley Drake

Larry King Viggo Mortensen

Spotlighting the top performing stores in Decemberand January

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

Shortly before this issue of The Source went to press, wereceived the final sales figures for stores in recent months.Topping the pack in terms of company stores for December and

January was the Stone Road Mall location in Guelph, Ontario thatcaptured the ‘Store of the Month’ honours for the past four months in arow.

As for the Roots 73/Outlet category, the Lansdowne Place location inPeterborough, Ontario took first place in December, for the secondconsecutive month. For January, the CrossIron Mills outlet inRockyview, Alberta took the top spot. Both stores far surpassed othersin terms of monthly sales budgets.

Congratulations to Janine Gordon, Manager of the Guelphstore,Todd Fournier, Manager of the Peterborough outlet, TrevorChambers, Manager of the Rockyview outlet and to their respectiveteams, for their winning performances.

Hats off to all of the other stores that surpassed their sales goals inDecember and January.

In conjunction with her roleas Rodeo Queen of Cochrane,

Alberta, Nicole Schlaak, akeyholder at Calgary’s 17th Avenuestore, participated in the 83rd day ofthe Olympic Torch Relay. Nicole,who has worked at Roots since2007, is currently in her third yearat Mount Royal University, studyingBusiness Administration.

The Olympic Torch for theVancouver Games was first lit inOlympia, Greece and reachedVictoria, BC in late October. OnFebruary 12, after a 106-day,45,000 km journey across Canada,the torch will complete the last legof its odyssey when it will light theOlympic Cauldron at Vancouver’sBC Place, marking the official startof the 2010 Winter Games.

Calgary employee takes partin Olympic Torch relay event

WALKING TALL

Peterborough Outlet employees. (L to R) Todd Fournier (Manager), Mark Lessor, DebPereria, Derek Legere, Jessica Pultz, Dan Sutherland (in front). Missing in photo: KylieGirard, Jessica Fudge, Jessica Nadeau, Leanne Janzi, Will Pilon and Hayleigh McCaffery.

Nicole Schlaak holding the torch

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14 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010

STARTING LINEUPIntroducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

We often receive unsolicited photos from peopleeager to show us pictures of

their children, cousins, grandchildren,or even pets, wearing Roots.Sometimes the senders ask if wecould use the photos in a futureadvertising campaign for Roots. Wecan’t promise that but we are happyto publish them in The Source.

Everyone is welcome to submittheir favourite shots to be consideredfor publication. Please send yourpictures to [email protected].

Be sure to include the name andage of each child or pet in the photo,where it was taken, place of resi-dence and a sentence stating thatyou agree for the photos to be usedin The Source.

STAYING POWER

Avril Barnes, Sales Associ-ate, 15 yearsJanet Braam, Store Manager,10 yearsMargaret Marcysiak, ProductDeveloper, 10 yearsBashir Popal, Senior Busi-ness Analyst, 10 yearsEwa Kielak, Store Manager, 5yearsAnne Woodbury, AssistantManager, 5 years

Big developments in thelife of Roots staff

MOMENTSTHAT MATTER

Chris Whaley, Manager of theSouth Keys store in Ottawa,and Melissa Brennen,Manager (on maternity leave)of the South Keys store andon maternity leave, welcomeda baby boy, Quintin HughWhaley, on November 5.

Hearty congratulations toMelissa and Chris for thisgreat moment in their lives.

As part of our continuing series of team pictures of all the stores in the Roots retail family, this issue ofThe Source is shining the spotlight on the Northgate Square store in North Bay, Ontario. From left toright: Naomi Barraclough, Heidi Gallagher, Dayna Greco and Megan Price. (Missing in photo: StacySavarie, Toby MacPherson, Josee Trahan and Karah Floyd)

Saluting those who gothe distance

ON THE MOVENew appointments at Roots• France Lapointe ap-pointed District Manager forthe Montreal-Quebec region

Luca Pelosi, 18 months, Toronto Austin Loughrin, 16 months,La Canada, California

Xavier, 3 years and his brother Tasman, 1 year, with their parents in Vietnam

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Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010 The Source • 15

THE ROOTS TOP 10A guide to the sounds ofRoots for February

MUSICAL ROOTSThis month, we spotlight Jason Mraz

CHEF’S CORNERRoots-friendly recipes for a healthy diet and to bring pleasure to your palate

1. Wavin’ Flag, K’anan2. One Day, Matisyahu3. Wait Till They See Me Smile,Alicia Keys4. Do You Right, Aion Clarke5. What’s Going On (TimeBandits Remix), Marvin Gaye6. I Feel Good, Mary J. Blige7. February Air, Lights8. Closer To You, Brett Dennen9. You Can’t Get What YouWant, Joe Jackson10. Mercy Mercy Me (TimeBandits Remix), Marvin Gaye

- Compiled by Davin Bujalski

For this month’s Chef’sCorner, we present therecipe for making

spiced-up hummus.

INGREDIENTS15 oz chickpeas, drained,reserving 1/4 cup of theliquid1/4 cup tahini (sesamepaste)1/4 cup fresh lemon juice3 tablespoons extra-virginolive oil1 garlic clove, crushed1/4 teaspoon ground staranise (optional)1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon groundcumin1/4 cup cilantro leaves,finely chopped, plus wholeleaves for garnish (op-tional)1 plum tomato, peeled,seeded, and very finelychopped2 scallions, very thinlyslicedCoarse salt and groundpepper

DIRECTIONS1. In a food processor,combine beans and re-served bean liquid, tahini,

lemon juice, 1 tablespoonoil, garlic star anise (ifusing), ginger and cumin;puree until smooth.

2. Transfer to a servingbowl and stir in cilantro,tomato and scallions;season with salt andpepper.

Drizzle remaining 2tablespoons oil over thetop of the hummus. Beforeserving, garnish withcilantro leaves if desired.

TOTAL TIME: 15 minMakes 3 cups.

His last name rhymes with“has” and means “frost” inCzech but Jason Mraz’s

career has been on fire in recentyears. Drawing on stylisticinfluences from reggae, pop,rock, folk, jazz and hip hop, the33-year-old singer-songwriterhas created a distinctive soundthat has earned him several hitalbums since his first record in2002.

Mraz was born and raised ina small suburb just outsideRichmond, Virginia. His rootsare in the former Czechoslovakiafrom where his grandparentsimmigrated to the United Statesearly last century. Mraz fondlyremembers his youth, particu-larly his father, a local postalworker, always listening toMotown, soul and pop music onlocal radio stations. Mraz was

heavily influenced by his earlyyears, as he was by singer DaveMatthews.

Through high school, Jasonplayed various roles in highschool musicals that led to hislove for music. He got his firstpro gig at the age of 13, singingin a local R&B band. He was theyoungest and sang all the highparts because his voice hadn’tyet changed. After high school,Mraz moved to New York tostudy at the American Musicaland Dramatic Academy but allthat changed when a friend gavehim a guitar as a gift.

He dropped out of theAcademy and spent his days inCentral Park learning to playfrom whoever was there. Hereturned to Virginia for a shortwhile, but felt drawn to Califor-nia and soon moved west to San

Diego in 1999.Southern California at the

time was known for itscoffeehouses and support ofsinger-songwriters. He soonlanded a gig at the now famousJava Joe’s in Ocean Beach. Aftera few months, his performanceswere consistently sold out and hesigned to Elektra Records

Mraz released his firstalbum, Waiting For My RocketTo Come in November 2002.Backed by a successful tour, thealbum took off, helped espe-cially by one song, “The Rem-edy (I Won’t Worry),” whichbecame a top 40 single. Hewrote the song after one of hisclose friends, Charlie Mingroni,was diagnosed with bone cancer.Mingroni told Mraz that hewould live through it, and he didgo into remission. Mraz laterused the money he made fromthe song to pay the rent for anapartment in Los Angeles forMingroni. Another song fromthat album, “You and I Both,”also became a top radio hit. ByJuly 2004, the album had soldmore than a million copies,certified Platinum.

His second album, Mr. A-Z,was released in 2005 and wasnominated for several awards. Insupport of the album, Mrazopened for the Rolling Stones atsome of their shows on theirworld tour.

In 2009, Mraz toured

extensively in support of histhird album, We Sing, We Dance,We Steal Things, which reachedPlatinum status. He continues toreceive many accolades includ-ing his first Top 10 hit with “I’mYours.” The song, which led tohis international breakthrough,was a massive commercialsuccess in the US, selling morethan three million copies. Mostrecently, Mraz won two awardsat the 2010 Grammys.

He also released BeautifulMess, Live On Earth, an excel-lent live album and DVDrecorded in Chicago in thesummer of 2009.- Davin Bujalski

• For more info on Jason Mraz, visit:http://www.jasonmraz.com/ andlisten to Roots Radio to hear hismusic.

Jason Mraz’s first hit was inspired by a friend’s battle with cancer

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16 • The Source Issue 94 - Jan. - Feb. 2010