August 2008

The Source 1Issue 86 - August 2008

A window into the world of RootsRootsRootsRootsRoots Issue 86 August 2008

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REACHINGA MILESTONE

As Roots celebrates its 35th anniversary, the brand attractsrecognition as one of the top iconic names in Canadian business

Don and Michael take a breakon Smoke Lake, Algonquin Park

August 4, 2008 at 7:48 p.m.

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantCARLY ANDERSON

InternFARRAH LADAK

The Source is published every month byRoots Canada Ltd. We welcome letters fromreaders for 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

DepartmentsFINE 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 86I S S U E 86I S S U E 86I S S U E 86I S S U E 86

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of recent letters from the world of Roots

EXTRA! EXTRA!In keeping with our monthlypublishing schedule, the nextissue of The Source will appearin early September.

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

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A HELPING HANDWe would like to thank Rootsfor the generous gift to ourfirst-ever charity golf tourna-ment. Our raffle, silent auctionand live auction were a hugesuccess, and would not havebeen possible without yourhelp.

The interest, energy andgenerosity of the community insupport of the Philip AzizCentre Charity Tournamentwere overwhelming. Weattracted 80 guests and raisedmore than $15,000. Thesefunds will be used to help thechildren of the Philip AzizCentre with practical andpersonal needs for their indi-vidual requirements. You aretruly making a difference intheir lives.

The Philip Aziz Centreprovides hospice home servicesfor those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Once again, a heartfeltthank you on behalf of theentire team at the Philip AzizCentre.The Youth Advisory CouncilPhilip Aziz CentreToronto

BEHIND CLOSED DOORSI was dismayed today to find thedoors of many stores on QueenStreet open and cold air pouringout into the street.

Many of these Torontoretailers pretend to have a socialconscience, but waste electricityin a shameless way, in order todraw people in from the heat.

Im just writing to say it doesntalways work, and to thank you forbeing one of the few retailers whosedoors were closed. Its a little thingbut people are paying attention.Deirdre ChalmersAssistant RegistrarLawrence S. BloombergFaculty of Nursing, Toronto

A MEMORABLE VISITWe were recently visitingToronto from the States andduring our stay we happenedinto your store on Queen Street.I just want to say how wonderfulthe staff were with us. They werepersonable, they know theirproducts and give total customerservice. In short, they are thebest part of your organization.

Congratulations on havinggreat employees!Sue VorchheimerVernon, CT

REACHING A MILESTONEAs Roots celebrates its 35thanniversary, the brand attractsrecognition as one of the topiconic names in Canadianbusiness

MEET AND GREET WITHMLS ALL-STARSSoccer greats take time to visitflagship store

JENNIFER GARNERWEARS ROOTSGolden Globe-winning actresscovers up in style

QUEBEC CITY TURNS 400Roots Chateau Frontenacjoins in the historic celebrations

NIAGARAS BEAVERGOES INTERNATIONALOutlet store makes for apopular tourist destination

A MODEL OF A CAUSEChristie Brinkely joins thefight against global warming

A WORD OF THANKSWe are extremely grateful for thegenerous support of Roots forthe recent Mount Sinai Hospi-tal Classic Golf Tournament atthe Glen Abbey Golf Club. Thisyear, 144 golfers took part in thetournament, followed by dinnerand a live and silent auction.

We are inspired and encour-aged by the growth of this event,which has raised more than$2.2 million since its inceptionin 1995. These funds havecontributed greatly to thehospitals research work,especially in the fight againstcancer.

Supporters like Roots playan integral role in our ability tohost these events, and yourvital contribution will impactthe patient care Mount Sinaiprovides in Toronto.Joel Seigel, PresidentGentec InternationalToronto

REACHING A MILESTONEAs Roots celebrates its 35th anniversary, the brand attracts recognition as one of the top

iconic names in Canadian business. BY ROBERT SARNER

Continued on next page

The timing was excellent,albeit accidental. In asalute to the enduringsuccess and influence of Roots,the respected Marketing maga-zine selected the company asone of the top 10 marketingicons in Canada of the past 100years. The spotlight on Co-Founders Michael Budman andDon Green and their formida-ble achievements is part of aspecial issue of Marketing thatcame out this month coinci-dentally within days of the 35thanniversary of Roots.

Michael Budman and DonGreen have had a huge role indefining Canadian style on boththe domestic and world stages,writes Marketing journalist MattSemansky, who labels Roots aglobal retail icon. With a deftcombination of authenticity andcelebrity, Budman and Greenhave turned their passion into anation-defining brand.

The recognition may begratifying for Don and Michaelbut, true to form, theyre notresting on their laurels. Theyretoo busy looking ahead, keepingRoots on course and planning itsnext season and beyond. Itshard not to marvel at their driveand staying power after all theseyears. Their dedication andpassion for what they do is asstrong today as when they firstopened for business in August1973.

When we began Roots, itwas really from the seat of ourpants, says Michael. We hadno real vision of the future, nobusiness plan. In my wildestimagination, I never thenenvisioned Roots taking on thelife that it did and becoming thisamazing adventure that to thisday still excites me.

Excitement and adventurehave always been part of Roots,along with other elements key toits success. At the heart of the

company is a commitment toquality and integrity coupledwith an appreciation of people, alove of Canada, and a strongaccent on health, wellness andthe environment. Add to the mixa seemingly inexhaustiblepositive energy and the result isa winning combination.

This is a wonderful time totake stock of our storied,colourful past while at the sametime realizing that the future hasnever been brighter for Roots,says Don. Its fulfilling to knowthat moving forward weve puttogether the best team weveever had in the 35-year historyof Roots.

Michael likens the evolutionof Roots to a life-changingexcursion. Roots has alwaysbeen and continues to be a greatjourney thats highly gratifyingfor so many reasons. First andforemost, I think of the incred-ible people that weve met,worked with and learned fromover the years, who have

contributed so much to thesuccess of Roots. Its especiallysatisfying for us that Roots hasadded to the quality of life for somany people over the years.

Don cites another importantaspect of Roots. Weve alwaysconsidered Roots more than justa business, he says. It means alot to us that Roots is also asource for promoting positivesocial change in terms of health,wellness and the environmentand helping the community.Likewise, were proud that

Roots has showcased Canada ina way that was unique andoriginal.

In terms of its size andworldwide stature, Roots todayis a far cry from its early days.With little idea of what awaitedthem, Don and Michael beganRoots on August 15, 1973 with atiny shoe store in downtownToronto. Their only product wasa shoe with a negative heel. Ontheir first day, they sold sevenpairs. Within weeks, the shoestook off, becoming one of thebiggest fads ever in the historyof North American footwear.

Michael and Don have notlooked back ever since. For allthe vagaries and changing trendsof the fashion business, theyvealways had a keen sense of howto keep Roots relevant. Although

the product linehas evolvedconsiderably overthe years, theoverriding spirit,principles andaesthetics behindthe brand haveremained con-stant.

Integratingthis consistencywith a creativeflair and an open-minded, unortho-dox approach tobusiness, Michael

and Don have built a trulyoriginal Canadian brand, one ofthe few major Canadian brandsthat has not sold out to foreigninterests and still manufacturesmany of its products domesti-cally.

Their achievements are bynow the stuff of Canadianbusiness legend. From theirearly championing of theenvironment to their innovativestore design, from their

The famous Roots negative shoes that Michaeland Don introduced in 1973 with great success,putting the new company on strong footing.

4 The Source Issue 86- August 2008

Continued from previous page

groundbreaking work with theCanadian and US Olympicteams to developing custom-designed co-branded merchan-dise for the entertainment industryto attracting heavyweightcelebrities to Roots, fromshowcasing Canadian imageryand motifs as part of its mer-chandise to extensive commu-nity support, Roots is nothing if

not a trailblazer.It all began in Ontarios

Algonquin Park where Don andMichael first discoveredCanada when they attendedCamp Tamakwa while growingup in Detroit. Thats also where,years later, they first conceivedof Roots. The Park remainstheir main source of inspiration,intrinsically intertwined with thesoul of the company. This sum-mer, like theyve done for

decades, theyve enjoyed theirtime in the Park where each hasa rustic cabin on Smoke Lakeand both spend countless hoursswimming, kayaking, canoeingand windsurfing and discussingplans for new projects for Roots.

Earlier this month, they werephotographed on Smoke Lakefor an upcoming issue ofMacleans magazine in whichthey will be featured. Theselatest media accolades follow arecent flurry of praise for Roots.

In the newly released book,Ikonica: A Field Guide toCanadas Brandscape, Rootsfigures prominently. In thechapter: Movers and Shapers,the authors state: While Rootsis continuously reinventingitself (negative heel shoes are adistant memory) based on itskeen cultural radar, the businesshews consistently to its corevalues and lifestyle orientation.

Indeed, these core valuescount for a lot at Roots. Auspi-ciously, the values that havegoverned the company since itsfounding a commitment toactive, healthy living, respectfor the environment, support forthe arts, strong communityspirit and a passion for Canadaand the outdoors are evenmore popular and relevanttoday than theywere back in1973.

This year inearly June,Interbrandpublished a studyentitled Compet-

ing in the Global BrandEconomy: Best CanadianBrands 2008. Roots was amongthe countrys leading companiesprofiled in the report. Nocompany has done a better jobat incorporating the essence ofCanadas natural landscape intoits brand, the report said.Ensuring that each new productbeing launched would notappear out of context inAlgonquin Park, the birthplaceof the Roots vision, is oneexample of its commitment tothe brand.

Last year, Brand FinanceCanada published an extensivestudy of the countrys topcompanies. Entitled CanadasMost Valuable Brands 2007, theresults attracted prominentmedia coverage. Among thefindings, Roots was ranked thetop brand in the retail sector andfourth overall.

It all adds up to an impres-sive 35 years of achievementand innovation. More impres-sive is that the two guys whobegan it all in 1973 are the sametwo who every day in 2008 arehard at work at the helm,forging ahead, keeping onkeeping on, building the futureof this great brand. Long maythey thrive. R.S.

Marketing magazine, Top 10 Icons of Canadian Marketing History, Aug. 2008

One constant over the years is the strength ofthe name Roots. Its timeless appeal is evidentin the new Fall 08 promotional campaign.


JENNIFER GARNERWEARS ROOTSGolden Globe-winningactress covers up in style

On a recent trek out househunting in Los Angeleswith husband BenAffleck, former Alias starJennifer Garner caused quite astir with her choice of wardrobe.

With speculation of hersecond pregnancy swirling, theactress stepped out in a cozy,oversized Jimmy Kimmel Livezip-up hoody, custom-made byRoots.

The popular sweatshirts aregifts for all celebrity guests whovisit the ABC late-night talkshow. A long-running souvenir,the items have been reorderedseveral times. The deal wasfacilitated by Los Angeles-based Roots representativeWendy Goodman and SeniorAccount Manager in the Busi-ness-to-Business DepartmentMary Jane Saliba.

Garners attention-gettingouting in Roots apparel wasreported by various mediapublications, including inPeople magazines Star Tracksfeature in late July.

Jennifer can be seen nextyear in Ricky Gervais directo-rial debut comedy, This Side ofthe Truth, which also has a linkto Roots merchandise, asreported elsewhere in this issueof The Source. (see page 8).

BEST FOOT FORWARDRoots ambassador walks tall in custom made shoes

Although Roots was notthe official outfitter ofany of the Olympicteams at the Summer Games inBeijing, it was still present atthe Opening Ceremonies. Notonly was longtime Rootsambassador Adam vanKoeverden the flag bearer ofthe Canadian team as itentered the stadium but theshoes he was wearing werecustom made for him inToronto by Roots LeatherExpert Karl Kowalewski.

Karl may be famous nowfor his work in helpingdesign and manufacture thehugely successful Roots

leather handbag program buthe first made his name withRoots footwear back in the1970s and 80s. He is part ofa family thats been involvedin shoemaking for threegenerations.

Based at the leatherfactory in Toronto, Karlreceived an appreciative emailfrom Adam the day after theOpening Ceremonies,complimenting him on theshoes. The world championkayaker added that manypeople present at the eventhad come up to him afterwardto ask where they could buy apair for themselves.

MEET AND GREET WITH MLS ALL-STARSSoccer greats take time to visit flagship store

Hometown soccer hero andthree-time CanadianPlayer of the YearDwayne De Rosario droppedin to the Roots flagship store inToronto on the eve of the 2008Major League Soccer (MLS)All-Star Game in late July.

The Toronto native andHouston Dynamos midfielderbrought along his teammate inthe All-Star series, the LAGalaxys Landon Donovan, foran autograph signing session atthe Bloor St. store. The popular

soccer stars greeted a largeturnout of fans at the specialevening event.

The enthusiastic responsefrom Toronto supportershelped lead the MLS team (awhos who of the best players inthe North American profes-sional league) to a 3-2 victoryover the English PremierLeagues West Ham United.Dwayne himself had the match-winning goal, breaking the 70-minute deadlock with a penaltykick.

The son of Guyaneseimmigrants and a good friendof Roots, De Rosario is alsodevoted to supporting worthycauses. He helps raise aware-ness for Nothing But Nets, anon-profit organization thatprovides mosquito nets for familiesin Africa to combat malaria.

De Rosario will also leadthe Canadian National teamthis month at Torontos BMOField as they battle againstJamaica in the 2010 World Cupqualifier.

A good friend of Roots, Dwayne De Rosario spends time at the Bloor St. store, bringing attention to malariaprevention, (left), and follows it up the next day with the winning goal at the MLS All-Star Game


Please send us details of similar good newsand well be happy to publish it in The Source(email: [email protected])

MOMENTSTHAT MATTERBig developments inthe life of Roots staff

Phil Papadopoulos, Managerof the Fanshaw Outlet in London,ON, and wife Karen welcomed ababy girl, Ilianna KassiaPapadopoulos on July 8.

Hearty congratulations toPhil and his family for this greatmoment in their lives.

Phil and daughter Ilianna

QUEBEC CITY TURNS 400Roots Chateau Frontenac joins in the historic celebrations

Last month, QuebecCity officiallycelebrated its 400thanniversary. Located atthe centre of the festivi-ties, the Roots ChateauFrontenac store in theprovinces bustling capitalplayed host to a varietyof guests from all overthe world, as theygathered to take part inthe entertainment.

The city, designated a worldheritage site in 1985, has plannedwhat promises to be one of thelongest-running birthday parties,

with ten months of diversecelebrations. In the lead-up tothe official milestone, the Rootsstore was busier than ever.

I would never have believed

that so many people from allover would come and celebratethis great anniversary with us,says Nathalie Giroux, Managerof the Chateau Frontenac loca-tion. My staff and I are proudof where we live and want tosay Happy Birthday QuebecCity!

The theme for the event ishonouring the memorableencounters of the citys historyas the cradle of French civiliza-tion in the New World. Withmore than 130 activities on theprogram running from Januaryto October, some of the mostpopular ones include freeconcerts by Paul McCartney,Celine Dion and a perform-ance by Cirque du Soleil.

Chateau Frontenac staff help celebrate Quebec Citys 400th anniversary

GREAT MOMENTSIN RETAILSpotlighting the topperforming stores in June

As this issue of The Source wentto press, the final sales figuresfor stores in July were not yet in butwere delighted to report theperformance of most stores in Junewas to be commended.

Topping the pack in terms ofcompany stores was the Bank St.store in Ottawa, ON, that capturedthe latest Store of the Monthhonours, comfortably beating itssales target.

As for the Roots 73/Outletcategory, the Eglinton Power CentreOutlet store in Scarborough, ON,took first place outpacing otheroutlet stores for the month.

Congratulations to ChristineKemp, Manager of the Bank St.store and Dennis Ibarra, Managerof the Eglinton Outlet along withtheir respective teams for theirwinning performances.

Bank Street staff lead the wayin terms of sales for June

NIAGARAS BEAVER GOES INTERNATIONALOutlet store makes for a popular tourist destination

During the summermonths, the Rootsoutlet store onLundys Lane in NiagaraFalls, Ontario, has welcomedan ever-increasing number ofinternational bus tours, asvacationers get some retailtherapy during their visit toone of the Seven Wonders ofthe World. It seems word hasgotten out that the one of thebest photo-ops in town is thatof the Roots store located atthe Canada One FactoryOutlet Mall.

It started with a busloadof campers visiting from theUnited States, says JudyOlmstead, Keyholder. Acouple of kids started posing in

front of our Roots outlet signand using the Canadian flags asprops. Once they started taking

pictures, everyone began todo the same thing and itscontinued ever since.

With the high summertraffic in the mall, its notunusual to have largefamilies come in and takepictures in front of thefamous beaver logo. Flankedby flags, the popular photobackdrop highlights theiconic Canadian image ofRoots.

Staff at the store havebecome adept as impromptuphotographers for coupleswho want to take pictureshome of their Niagara Falls

trip, or rather, reminders of atruly Canadian shoppingexperience at Roots.

Employees Sarah Davies, (left), and KateNixon pose with the popular sign

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was also in town for the festivities,pictured here with Ginette Fillion, Regional Director of Quebec, (l), andPauline Landriault, Director of Planning and Development


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A MODEL OF A CAUSEChristie Brinkley joins the fight against global warming

Everywhere you turn, itseems that more and morepeople are recognizing thegravity of our Earths currentsituation and are doing their partto go green and celebritiesare no different.

More than just a pretty face,American supermodel andenvironmental activist ChristieBrinkley is helping to raiseawareness courtesy of Roots and

the Stop GlobalWarming brace-lets. The CoverGirl spokespersonis using her fameas a platform tospeak out on theissue, as she hasbeen involvedwith environmen-tal organizationsfor a number of

years.Known to hand

the bracelets out toreporters, Christieordered 50 moreof the recycledleather accessorieswith embroidereddetailing. Allproceeds from thesale of the itemsare donated to the

Stop Global Warming Fund. Theorder was coordinated by DavidJackson in the Business-to-Business Department.Christie Brinkley

Roots has surpassed $150,000 inits fundraising campaign againstglobal warming

KIDS4PEACE TORONTO 2008Roots donates graphic print T-shirts to interfaith camp

This month, an innovativeinterfaith initiative willbring together 12 Jewish,Christian and Muslim childrenfrom northern Israel to interactwith 12 children from Toronto atOutward Bound camp in BurksFalls, Ontario. Established in2002 and supported by Roots inrecent years, this educationalprogram is designed to buildbridges between diverse commu-nities.

We have a chance to touch

future leaders while theyre stillforming opinions, says HenryCarse, Program Founder ofKids4Peace. The programpromotes dialogue betweenpeople of different faiths andtraditions. More specifically, itstrives to break down barriersbetween Israeli Jewish andArab children. Together, theparticipants learn about eachothers culture, traditions,customs and geography. In theprocess, they also gain a better

understanding of their own faith,while respectingthose of theirpeers.

The program isfunded by contri-butions fromnumerous religiousand educationalestablishments,corporations andindividuals. Thisyear, DavidJackson, Account Manager in

the Business-to-BusinessDepartment,coordinated theorder to provide thecustom-made RootsT-shirts for thechildren to wearduring the camp.The white T-shirtfeatures a boldcolourful graphicprint of theKids4Peace logo in

red, blue and yellow.

STAYING RELEVANTRoots Co-Founder special guest at business conference in Montreal

Earlier this summer, RootsCo-Founder MichaelBudman was the keynotespeaker at MasterCard Canadasannual Merchant Advisory Groupconference, held this year inMontreal. The event, which tookplace at the Hotel Neligan in OldMontreal, attracted representa-tives of many of Canadasleading retail companies.

Introduced by MasterCardCanadas President KevinStanton, Michael gave anengaging presentation entitled:How to Stay Relevant in 2008.Accompanied by a slide show ofcurrent Roots visuals, he beganby explaining what it means fora business to be relevant intodays world.

The first example he citedwas an initiativetaken last winter inToronto byMasterCard. Dueto budget cutsannounced by CityHall, scores ofpublic ice rinkswere going to opena month later thanusual, after theChristmas school

break. Not surprisingly,there was a huge publicoutcry at the news. A fewdays later, in a move thatshowed the businesssector at its best,MasterCard Canadaoffered to pay the cost ofkeeping the rinks open inDecember. The mediareported widely thatKevin Stanton hadcommitted $160,000 tothis cause without askinganything in return.

The initiative really hit homewith Michael, who greatlyrespected what Kevin did andalthough he did not know him,wrote him a letter to thank himand commend him for his boldleadership and helping thecommunity.

In his speech, Michaelencouraged all businesses topursue such kind of actions forthe benefit of their communities- and their bottom lines and tostay relevant. The second part ofhis presentation expounded onthe 20 main elements that helpkeep Roots relevant 35 yearsafter it was founded.

Michael, Diane Brisebois, President ofRetail Council of Canada and KevinStanton, President of Mastercard Canada

Michael addressing delegates at the conference


Saluting those who gothe distance

Recently, many Rootsemployees markedmajor anniversaries oftheir time at the company.By major, we meanbenchmark achievementsas in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and30 years spent at Roots.

We invite anyonecelebrating such ananniversary to send therelevant information to TheSource.

Congratulations to thefollowing employees fortheir significant contribu-tions and enduring loyaltyto Roots:

STAYING POWER

Lynne Morris, SeniorAccessories Designer,Head Office, 15 years Albertina Quadros,Leather EmbroideryOperator, Leather Factory,15 years Rainbow Wong, LeatherStitcher, Leather Factory,10 years Nicole Garisto, Man-ager, Erin Mills TownCentre, Mississauga, ON,5 years Irma Koch-Blackman,Manager of Complianceand Quality, SourcingDepartment, Head Office,5 years Le Cung Ngo, LeatherTable Work, LeatherFactory, 5 years Vui Thi Nguyen, LeatherSewing, Leather Factory, 5years Maria Pires, LeatherSewing, Leather Factory, 5years Raywoti Singh, LeatherSewing, Leather Factory, 5years

ON THE MOVENew appointments andpromotions at Roots Jason Lopes appointed toDirector of Visual Planning,Head Office. Linda Calero promoted toSupervisor, Wholesale Opera-tions, Head Office.

ON THE ROAD AGAINSinger-songwriter chronicles latest Roots tour online

Fresh from Nashville, whereshe put the finishingtouches on her debutalbum, Winnipeg recording artistand friend of Roots, Jodi Kingis back and bringing her vocalpop stylings toYoutube.

In a new video on the onlinestreaming site, the singerchronicles her time spent travelingthrough the prairies on the RootsSummer tour last year. Themontage of clips show Jodi at avariety of gigs, including an in-store performance at a Rootslocation in Saskatoon. Herstripped-down set was a simple

arrangement,featuring hersoulful voiceaccompanied by akeyboard, butgarnered muchattention fromshoppers.

It was a veryunique experienceplaying in Roots,says Jodi. Whilepeople wereshopping for yogawear and backto school gear, I was serenadingthem! It was really interestingseeing how it would draw people

into the store andseemed to uplift theirspirits, which is theeffect Ive alwayswanted my music tohave. Roots is whole-some and proudlyCanadian, two attributesI think we have incommon, so it was agreat fit!

Having performedat numerous Roots

stores across Canada in recentyears, this summer will see Joditouring in support of her upcomingalbum, This is Jodi King.

Jodi gets back to her roots

OFF TO A GOOD STARTCast of new sitcom get in touch with their Roots

This years WritersGuild of Americastrike may have pushedback the premiere of USANetworks latest TV seriesThe Starter Wife; but therewas no delay in orderingcustom-made Roots leatheritems for the cast.

More than 30 bookcovers in black Coloradoleather were requested for theactors, with the logo of thesitcom embossed on the insidefront cover. All items were madeat the Roots leather factory inToronto.

The order was coordinatedby Wendy Goodman, LosAngeles- based Roots representa-tive and Mary Jane Saliba,Senior Product Coordinator inthe Business-to-Business

Department at HeadOffice.

The Starter Wife,starring Will and GracesDebra Messing, takes upwhere the 2007 TV mini-series of the same nameleft off. Messing reprisesher role as Molly Kagan,the ex-wife of a Holly-wood entertainment

mogul, who finds herself startingover from scratch after a high-profile divorce. The comedy-drama slated to begin in mid-October of this year, is based onthe novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer.

THIS SIDE OF GREAT STYLERoots products help celebrate Ricky Gervais directorial debut

One of the brainsbehind the hitcomedy TheOffice, which has seensuccess in both itsAmerican and BritishTV versions, has nowmade the foray intofilm for which Rootsasked to outfit the star-studdedcast and crew.

For Ricky Gervais inaugu-ral directing effort This Side ofthe Truth, more than 250 blackMicro Ripstop jackets wereordered, with the movies name

embroidered on theback of the garment.The order was coordi-nated by Los Angeles-based Roots repre-sentative WendyGoodman and SeniorAccount Manager in

theBusi-ness-to-BusinessDepart-ment atHeadOffice

Mary Jane Saliba. Slated for release in 2009,This Side of the Truth is set in adrab world without fiction,where everyone tells the truthand movies consist ofunembellished readings ofhistorical facts. However, thefilms protagonist, loveable loserMark Billison (Gervais), a veryunsuccessful screenwriter in hismid-40s, is about to make amomentous discovery. The comedyalso features Jason Bateman,Jonah Hill, Jennifer Garner,Tina Fey and Jeffrey Tambor.

Ricky Gervais


FINE PRINTA selection of coverageof Roots in the media

Here aresomerecentsightingsof Rootsin thepages of

newspapers and magazines:

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

Celebrities havelong made apoint ofshopping at Roots.Here are the latestsightings of promi-nent figures in theworld of entertain-ment and sports whovisited Roots storesrecently: 100 Bloor St.,Toronto SNL alumJimmy Fallondropped by thedowntown flagship

store, where he wasphotographedwearing a Rootskanga hoody. Queen St.,Toronto Shortstop for theToronto Blue Jays,John McDonaldbought a smallBanff bag andStudent Pack at thestore. Robson, Vancou-ver, BC Mostrecently seen on

The L Word, Oscar-winning actressMarlee Matlincouldnt get enoughof Roots as she visitedthree times in oneweek picking upfour Village Bags,including two in thenew purple haze. Beverly Hills, CA Academy Award-winning actress HalleBerry visited thestore with paparazziin tow.

Jimmy Fallon

Marlee Matlin John McDonald

A TOUR DE ROOTSLong-time friend dons the brand at famous sporting extravaganza

In late July, fans of the worldslargest cycling race, the Tourde France, received a surpris-ing dose of Hollywood at theend of the 17th stage of the 23-day competition in Paris.

Academy Award winner andlong-time friend of RootsMichael Douglas was on handat the finish line to presentCarlos Sastre of Spain, thewinner of the grueling 17th legtrek, with the coveted yellowjersey.

To hand out the honour along

with Team Presi-dent of the MiamiHeat Pat Riley,Douglas wasdressed to impressin a black RootsYoga Jacket, whichreceived muchmedia attention.

The 3,500 kmcircuit of the Tourde France ran fromJuly 5 27 and waswon by overallstage leader Sastre. M. Douglas, (left), clad in Roots, presents Sastrewith the yellow jersey with Pat Riley, (right)

GREAT STYLE ON AND OFF THE CATWALKMississauga store helps support local fashion show for charity

The summer got off toa wonderful start forCamp Oochigeas inMuskoka, Ontario, in partthanks to Roots. In earlyJune, the Erin Mills Rootsstore in Mississauga (justoutside Toronto) led byAssistant Manager AnneWoodbury helped CampOochigeas raise $22,000through a local fashion showevent.

A few weeks earlier,Angela Ratatove the organ-izer of the event and a teacherat Clarkson Secondary Schoolin Mississauga, approachedAnne to see if Roots would

take part in the fundraiser. TheRoots store team jumped at theopportunity to help out andoutfitted 10 models in a variety

of clothing from the kids,basic and lifestyle lines.

The revenue generatedfrom this event went toCamp Oochigeas, whichoffers year-round programsfor children affected bycancer. It gives them anopportunity for growththrough fun and meaningfulexperiences at no cost totheir families.

The fashion show was ahuge success, says NicoleGaristo, Store Manager.

Our entire team was verysupportive and excited tohelp raise funds for such aworthy cause.

Stylish Erin Mills staff support a good cause

Chatelaine, Sept. Spotlight onRoots Fringe Zipper Clutch inblack and Midtown Bag in tan. Fashion Magazine, Aug. RootsPurple Haze Downtown Bagfeatured in a Berry colouredfashion roundup. Lou Lou, Aug. Roots leathermake-up bag inside Lou LouSwag Bag given out to celebritiesat the Much Music Video Awards. Flare, Aug. Roots custom-designed leather BlackBerrycase and Michael Budman citedin Editors Letter. Elle, Aug. Roots Poor Boy Capmentioned in Olympic FashionTimeline. Fashion magazine, Aug.Downtown Slide in Lux leatherfeatured in Berry Patch section. Chatelaine, July. Article entitledChatelaine for you celebratesthe magazines 80th anniversary.Article includes a photo ofMichael Budman with JeanneBeker and the Roots ChatelaineBag, also featured in ChatelaineStyle section. Roots organiccotton-spandex polo shown inpolo round up. Cadillac Fairview, July. Rootsleather athletic bag, RootsChatelaine Bag and Maple 100%organic cotton T-shirt featured inonline trend report for summer2008. Lou Lou, July. RootsChatelaine Bag featured in LouLou Tells All section. RootsPurple Haze Downtown Slide isfeatured in Lou Lou online blog. Homemakers, July. RootsSuper Palma Lux leatherMidtown Slide Bag in redfeatured in Canada Contest. Alsospotlights Roots Canada Pillowin Canada Day article The Bestfor Last. The Style sectionhighlights Roots cotton/silk scarf. Flare, July. Roots black leatherclutch featured in Live Out Loudfashion shoot. Canadian Living, July.Spotlight on Roots Canada Pillowin Great Ideas section. National Post, July 12. TheRoots Canada Pillow featured asa gift idea in the article entitledCome back anytime! National Post, July 7. Rootspackable Green Tote praised inarticle Carry-ons that carry on.

Halle Berry

Continued on page 11


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

- Compiled by Davin Bujalski

CHEFS CORNERRoots-friendly recipes to bring pleasure to your palate

- Anne Theriault

For this months ChefsCorner, we present therecipe for making buttermilkpie.

INGREDIENTS

1 unbaked pie crust1 1/2 cups brown sugar3 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 cup buttermilk, divided intotwo 1/2 cups3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup melted butter1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/2 cup chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degreesF.

2. In a large bowl, combinesugar, flour, and 1/2 cup butter-milk.

3. Add beaten eggs and theremaining 1/2 buttermilk; mixwell with a whisk.

4. Mix in the melted butter andvanilla extract.

5. Pour into unbaked pie crust.Sprinkle pecans over the top.

6. Bake for 10 minutes, thenreduce heat to 350 degrees F.and bake approximately 25 to30 minutes or until a knifeinserted near the center comesout clean. Remove from ovenand let cool on a wire rack.

7. Refrigerate after cooling.Serve with whipped cream orice cream.

buttermilk pie

1. Funky Bahia, SergioMendes Feat. will i am2. Roots, Etana3. Viva La Vida, Coldplay4. Magic, Robin Thicke5. I Decided, Solange6. Hot, Hot Summer Day,Sugar Hill Gang7. Computer Girl, ZakiIbrahim8. Beautiful Nightmare,Beyonce9. Like Youll Never See MeAgain, Alicia Keys10.Cruise Control, MariahCarey Feat. Damian Marley

MUSICAL ROOTSThis month, we spotlight Sergio Mendes

One of the top-selling Brazil-ian artists inNorth America,Sergio Mendes isalso an internationalmusic star and oneof South Americasmost popularcelebrities.

He recentlyreleased Encanto(Enchantment), his39th album, the latestin a long list thatdates back to 1961when he releasedDance Modernowith the group heformed, SextetoBossa Rio. Hismusic was heavilyinfluenced byAntonio CarlosJobim. He would work withJobim and fell in love with NewYork City upon his first visit in1964. He moved there, signed adeal with A&M Records and in1966 would release SergioMendes & Brazil 66. The albumwould go on to sell platinum inthe US, largely due to the smashMas Que Nada. Mendes &Brazil 66 would tour exten-sively and gain fans around theworld.

Although his work withBrazil 66 was quite successful,Mendes truly garnered main-stream success after his live

performance of The Look OfLove, the Hal David/BurtBacharach classic, at the Acad-emy Awards in 1968. He wouldalso go on play exclusiveconcerts at the White House forPresidents Lyndon Johnson andRichard Nixon.

During the 70s, 80s and 90s,Mendes remained popular inSouth America and Japan. Heworked alongside music greatStevie Wonder and won aGrammy award in 1992 for hisalbum Brasileiro.

Most recently, SergioMendes has been integrating

the sounds of Bahian hip-hopinto his music. His latest twoalbums feature collaborationswith some of todays bestmusical talent, John Legend,will.i.am, India Arie, JustinTimberlake and Natalie Cole.

Theres a sensuality toBrazilian music, a pure kind ofsentiment, says Mendes. Themelodies are catchy, therhythms are intoxicating, thesongwriting is peerless andthe harmonies are beautiful.Theres a freshness to thatsound that simply refuses to goaway.

- Davin BujalskiListen to Roots Radio to hear the music ofSergio Mendes.

Orange Life magazine, July.Online article entitled, GreenRoots spotlights Roots eco-conscious efforts to help theenvironment. Toronto Star, July 1. RootsVillage Bag in Super Lux leathercited in article Ooh, Canada. Wish, June. Roots LeatherClutch appears in Easy Streetphotoshoot. Chatelaine, June. Roots whitelinen pants featured in the Sun-kissed section. Elle, June. Roots Side StripesSwimsuit spotlighted in swimsuitround up. Roots jewelry alsofeatured in Elle Style section. Where Vancouver, June.Stylish Roots Class of 2008watches featured in Hot Shoppingsection. Canadian Retailer, June. Rootsinteractive window display spot-lighted in article entitled WindowShopping with Style. Homemakers, June. Rootssilver clutch appears in The BestPrint Dresses section. Driven magazine, June.Spotlights Roots Organic CottonPolo. 2 Magazine, June. Roots Oasisand Roots Vista Point watchesfeatured. Toronto Sun, June 29. Rootsmentioned in article about shiftingglobal economy and fading Canadianmanufacturing sector. RobertSarner is quoted. Courier East Side, June 26.The Roots 3-in-1 Breezy LakeCabin Tent appears in the articleTent City. 24 Hours, June 20. Rootsleather Bomber Jacket and Rootsquilted leather Fanny Packfeatured in Wow Factor section. National Post, June 5. TheRoots reusable nylon totefeatured in Retail TherapySection. Roots tote received themost favorable review.

Fine Print continued from page 9

- Compiled by Farrah Ladak


GREEN TIP #51Easy ways to help theenvironment

STARTINGLINEUPIntroducing the peoplewho make it happenat Roots stores

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

Regular readers of TheSource know that lastyear, we launched thisspecial feature to showcasephotos of children wearingRoots. It grew out of the factthat we often receive unsolic-ited photos from customers whowant to share with us picturesof their children, cousins,

Easy ways to stay healthyHEALTH TIP #48

As part of our continuingseries of team picturesof all the stores in theRoots retail family, this issueof The Source is shining thespotlight on the Erin MillsTown Centre store inMississauga, Ontario. Backrow (from l to r): AmmanSandhu, Daksha Patel, MaggieChan, Cathy Wiktorek, VanessaPereira, Anne Woodbury,Nicole Garisto. Front row:Rafay Agha. Missing fromphoto: Thea Lape, ErikaPagcaliwangan.

nieces, nephews, grandchil-dren, or even pets, wearingRoots. They often ask if theycould be used in a futureadvertising campaign for thebrand. We cant promise thatbut we are happy to publishthem in The Source.

Everyone is welcome tosubmit their favourite shots to

The Source to be consideredfor publication. Please sendyour pictures [email protected].

Be sure to include the nameand age of each child or pet inthe photo, where it was takenand a sentence stating that youagree for the photos to be usedin The Source.

Cole Turnpenny, 1 week old, Oakville, ON

Dylan Clifford Craddock-Beckett, 8 months,Bowmanville, ON Rylee Hannan-McKenna, 2 1/2 years old, Toronto

GO ORGANIC: Powerfulpesticides are widely used toproduce many of the foods weeat regularly and can contributeto an alarming number of healthproblems. Some of the mostpopular fruits and vegetablespeople eat contain the mostpesticide residues. If you cannotafford to buy all your foodorganic, try to purchase organicversions of fruits and vegetablesthat are known to be the mostexposed to pesticide.

To that end, consultwww.organic-center.org. ItsOrganic Essentials pocketguide includes a list of fruits andvegetables that the center hasdetermined pose the mostsignificant pesticide-related risksand therefore are the mostcritical produce items forconsumers to purchase asorganic.

Here is a list of some of themost pesticide-contaminatedfruits and vegetables at youraverage supermarket: peaches,apples, strawberries, pears,nectarines, grapes, lettuce,tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet bellpeppers and celery. Source: The Organic Center,www.organic-center.org.

TAKE A SHORTER SHOWER:Every two minutes you save onyour shower can conserve morethan 10 gallons of water. Ifeveryone in the United Statessaved just one gallon from theirdaily shower, over the course ofa year it would equal twice theamount of freshwater withdrawnfrom the Great Lakes every day.


NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

A JEWEL IN THE ROOTS CROWNElegant womens collection launches in stores this month

With ever-extendingforays into chic,affordable fashionaccessories, the new jewelry linehitting stores this month is aninexpensive way to update anywardrobe.

Coordinated by MerchandiseManager and Planner of Acces-sories Rebecca Fernando, thecollection consists of burnishedmetals in gold and silver,highlighted with colouredaccents of black, turquoise andtiger-eye.

The casual line of earrings,chunky bracelets and necklaces,is suitable for everyday wear butwith intricate, sophisticated

components thateasily transitioninto night.

Launching inmid-August, themost popularitems will bereplenishedweekly withadditional stylesintroduced inOctober andNovember intime for theholiday season.

Available inselect locations,prices range from$10-$35.

TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCENew womens watches help fund healthcare research

With the common goal tocreate a future withoutbreast cancer, theRethink Breast Cancer Founda-tion has collaborated with Rootsto develop and launch twospecial edition Roots Watches intime for October Breast CancerAwareness Month.

The Roots Cosette RethinkBreast Cancer Watch repre-sents the essence of hope. RootsCosette is fashionable yetsophisticated with an elegantpink mother-of-pearl dial. Thisenchanting design incorporatesthe symbolic breast cancerribbon in the shape of the watchbracelet. The ribbon graphic isalso subtly repeated on thewatch dial.

Retail Price: $110The Roots Samba Rethink

Breast Cancer Watch symbol-izes health and wellness. Theribbon printed on the watch faceis a reminder that the key tofighting the disease begins with

being physically active. Main-taining a balanced lifestyle iseffortless with the Roots SambaWatch, wear it every time you gofor a run or take a yoga class!

Samba offers chronograph/stopwatch, date, countdowntimer, EL back light and twotime zones.

Retail Price: $45

These specialedition Roots RethinkBreast CancerWatches are for everywoman: survivors,those battling thedisease, their familymembers and thosewomen who want tohelp raise awarenessabout breast cancer.With the purchase of aRoots Rethink BreastCancer Watch, 10% ofthe proceeds will bedonated to RethinkBreast Cancer tosupport their impor-tant work to create afuture without breastcancer.

The special editionRethink Breast Cancer

Watches can be found at selectedRoots stores, jewellery andspecialty shops across Canada.View the entire Roots Collectiononline at www.watchroots.com.

Roots Cosette Roots Samba

August 2008

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