Publishers
MICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN
Editor
ROBERT SARNER
Interns
AMANDA LAI
STEPHANIE LIPTON
SHAYLA SCHIPPER
January 30, 2012
ORGANIC HOME DECOR
Roots alumni Echo Leblanc Roy transforms leather dust bags into pillows
The Customer Service team at Roots was recently taken by surprise when they received an unusual letter from a young woman in the Canadian Maritimes. A long-time customer had refashioned a Roots item into something entirely original and wanted to share it with the company. Initially designed to protect leather shoes and bags, dust bags can seemingly be used in other ways.
Having accumulated several Roots dust bags over the years, Echo LeBlanc Roy and her mother decided to transform them into pillowcases.
“We just came up with the idea,” says Echo, 27, who lives in Quispamsis, New Brunswick. “It was a fun project that didn’t take very long.”
Echo sewed the pillowcases herself with her mother’s 50-year-old Singer sewing machine. The green Roots Genuine Leather logo stands out against the cream colour of the bags, making the pillows attractive
January 29, 2012
A MASCOT WITH PERSONALITY
Buddy the Beaver receives praise for jobs well done
After a stellar performance as Roots mascot Buddy the Beaver, store employee Cayenne Maki is eager for her next such assignment. It’s a perfect match as both have a friendly, jovial character.
Last fall, Cayenne, 17, a member of the Roots retail team in Barrie, Ontario, dressed up as Buddy at the Annual Great Canadian Beaver Race and Festival to raise funds for deserving charities and organizations. Handing out Roots reusable bags and giving away discount coupons, Cayenne/Buddy proved popular among children and race contestants.
Buddy has a storied history as the Roots mascot. He first burst on the scene in 1980 at the opening event of a Roots Beaver Athletics store in Toronto. When it came to naming him, Roots Co-Founders Michael Budman and Don Green thought of deriving his name from Michael’s surname. Predating the now widespread use of mascots by professional sports teams, Buddy quickly became popular at Roots events.
Since his debut, Buddy has participated in numerous fundraisers and store openings around the country. He joined the Roots team at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital’s Child Run three years in a row, starting in 1997, while posing in photos with children, parents and dogs alike. Buddy has also made many appearances at various Roots stores on weekends handing out balloons and smiles to customers. Most memorably, he attended the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah where he represented not only Roots but all of Canada.
“Buddy has been a great representative for Roots,” says Lyn Frankel, Brand Ambassador. “He’s always shown himself to be cheerful and full of good humor, putting smiles on the faces of everyone he meets.”
Buddy was certainly the centre of attention at the festival in Barrie. The next time he is called upon to make a public appearance, there’s a good chance Cayenne will be leading the way in the guise of one of the country’s most popular beavers.
January 28, 2012
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF HNIC
The CBC orders specially designed Roots apparel for benchmark anniversary
With its creative in-house design capabilities and state-of-the-art leather factory in Toronto, Roots has long produced custom apparel and leather products to meet the needs of any business.
As part of its ongoing partnership with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Roots recently designed custom-made Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) apparel to be sold at the CBC stores in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and online. Roots classic fleece hoodies are available in black and are stamped with the current HNIC logo. The tees are available in grey and feature the vintage logo. In addition, Roots designed quality custom leather jackets made especially for CBC executives and a line of custom-made tees for staff and crewmembers working on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. The host of CBC’s popular late-night talk show is also a friend of Roots. All of the Roots apparel for the CBC is made in Canada.
The relationship between Roots and the CBC dates back to 2005, when the two companies first began working together on custom merchandise. Today, the CBC plans to expand their product line with Roots and is excited for future endeavours.
“The CBC and Hockey Night in Canada are thrilled to have joined forces with Roots as a complementary iconic Canadian brand to develop a line of quality HNIC apparel and accessories sold through cbcshop.ca,” says Maureen Murphy, Senior Manager of Licensing and Product Development at CBC. “With 2012 being the 60th anniversary of television broadcasts for Hockey Night in Canada, we hope to expand our partnership with Roots in celebration of this historic milestone.
The apparel is available for purchase online and in-store.
January 27, 2012
GREEN TIP #68
Easy ways to help the environment
A GREENER NEW YEAR: Cleaning products can leave toxins behind making your home a health hazard. For an inexpensive, greener solution, try these do-it-yourself tips for natural cleaning:
• Use ingredients like white vinegar, lemon juice, salt and baking soda to create natural cleaning products. With a little bit of elbow grease, these homemade solutions can clean almost anything.
• Vinegar and salt mixed together make an effective scrub to cut grease. For a fresh scent, add a hint of lemon juice - another useful ingredient when combating grease.
• Make laundry stains disappear by hand-washing clothes in vinegar and water mixed in equal amounts.
• Eliminate carpet odour by sprinkling baking soda on a rug. Let it stand for an hour or overnight, then sweep and vacuum.
• Make an all-purpose cleaner by adding four teaspoons of baking soda into a spray bottle with one quart of warm water. You can substitute half a cup of white vinegar for baking soda.
• Source: thegreenguide.com
January 26, 2012
DÉJÀ VU
A voyage back in time to a vintage Roots moment from the 1980s
In May 1989, shortly after the Rainforest Foundation was created, its founder Sting hosted a Roots-sponsored fundraiser at Toronto’s Four Seasons Hotel. Originally, the organization was solely dedicated to raising awareness for the protection of the Amazon rainforest in South America. Its first major initiative focused on helping the indigenous Kayapò tribe protect their endangered lands in the Brazilian Amazon.
At the Toronto event, tribe members accompanied Sting, all of whom wore specially designed Award Jackets that Roots had made for them the occasion. The Kayapò shared their culture with guests and recited a traditional players; Sting spoke about the issues surrounding deforestation in the Amazon and Roots Co-Founder Done Green voiced the company’s support for the cause.
Today, the Rainforest Foundation works with indigenous populations to secure land rights, influence laws and policies, and build strong community leadership in more than 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Central America and South America.
January 25, 2012
BEST HE'S EVER HAD
Canadian rap star shows his stage presence on Saturday Night Live
You know you’ve made it big when you’re invited to appear on NBC’s venerable Saturday Night Live. Canadian recording artist and friend of Roots Drake entertained the live SNL audience, both musically and theatrically, in mid-October.
Performing the hits “Headlines” and “Make Me Proud” from his recently-released album Take Care, Drake, 25, followed in the tradition of musicians and singers appearing on SNL. However, due to proven acting abilities, he also starred in a comedic digital short alongside SNL cast member Andy Samberg and in the Weekend Update sketch with Jay Pharoah.
For the show’s finale, the Toronto-born rapper wore a custom Roots Gretkzy Award Jacket in red, a sample of the outerwear produced for his clothing label October’s Very Own. In coordination with the album release, Drake launched the new jackets for retail in Toronto and New York stores.
Visiting the Roots factory several times over the past year, Drake and his brand manager, Oliver El-Khatib, played a role in the design for the new products. Made from 42-ounce virgin wool and organic buffalo hide, available in red and black, the jackets are embellished with intricate cresting, special Swiss zippers, and embroidered with lyrics from Take Care.
“Drake demands the best,” says Michael Budman, Roots Co-Founder. “He is doing great things for Canada and we are here to support him.”
• You can see Drake’s SNL performance on YouTube
January 24, 2012
GUESS WHO DROPPED IN...
Taking attendance of special guests at Roots
Celebrities have long made a point of shopping at and developing friendly ties with Roots. Here are the latest sightings of prominent figures in entertainment and sports who recently visited Roots stores, the head office, factory or were seen wearing Roots.
• Vancouver, BC – In late December, NHL coach Pat Quinn visited the Robson store to pick up some basic hoodies and a Vancouver Canunks hoody.
• Vancouver, BC – HGTV’s Bryan Baeumler dropped into the Robson store to buy a couple of toques.
• Bloor Street, Toronto – Singer/songwriter Joe Jonas stopped by the city’s flagship store while in town promoting his debut solo album.
• Burbank, California – Pretty Little Liars stars Lucy Hale and Ian Harding donned their Roots sweatpants on the set of their TV show. • Vancouver, BC – Comic Dimitri Martin tried out jackets at the Robson store in early January.
January 23, 2012
SPEAK TO MY AGENT
The littlest customers show their Roots
We often receive unsolicited photos from people eager to show us pictures of their children, cousins, grandchildren, or even pets, wearing Roots. Sometimes the senders ask if we could use the photos in a future advertising campaign for Roots. While we can’t promise that, we are happy to publish them in The Source. Over the years, Speak To My Agent has become one of the most popular items in The Source.
Everyone is welcome to submit their favourite shots to be considered for publication. Please send your pictures to photogallery@roots.com.
Be sure to include the name and age of each child or pet in the photo, where it was taken, place of residence and a sentence stating that you agree for the photos to be used in The Source.
Brandon Lipton Fullerton, 11 months, Toronto
Sofia Belova, 10 months, Oakville, ON
Jackson McIntyre, 16 months, Orilia, ON
Ashley Lapointe-Morency, 5 1/2 years, Orleans ON
Alexander Bishop, 6 weeks, Rockwood, ON
Charlie Harte, 18 months, Milton, ON
January 22, 2012
MUSICAL ROOTS
This time around, we spotlight Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards
Since her debut record in 2003, Kathleen Edwards has always been known for writing songs about real-life characters other than herself. But her just-released fourth album called Voyageur is a compilation of intimate songs reflecting a new direction for the 33-year-old performer.
Voyageur is largely made up of first-person narratives and an engaging new sound. Also making this album different from her previous ones is that she invited other artists like Norah Jones, John Roderick and Phil Cook to join in on the writing process.
“I knew that laying the foundation for this record would start with the songs,” says Edwards. “For the first time, I was open to the idea of co-writing, and what had previously been an intensely private process became a challenge to see what would happen with an open mind to a different approach.”
Produced by Justin Vernon, the front man of Bon Iver and Edwards’ boyfriend, Voyageur charts the trauma and challenges of marital discord, personal reflection, and new romance. For Edwards, the album resonates on multiple levels, including its title, Voyageur.
“The album was a journey about change and one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” she says. “As a teenager, I spent a lot of time canoe-tripping, and on my last long trip, our camp group was known as Voyageurs. So I realized that’s totally my life: I was a voyageur then, and I’m a voyageur now. Plus, it has a nice Canadian ring to it.”
Born in Ottawa, Edwards spent many summers at camp in Algonquin Park where she developed a passion for the wilderness setting and learned how to play guitar. She also spent time in South Korea and Switzerland, traveling with her parents, who were foreign diplomats. While overseas with her family, Edwards discovered her brother’s record collection.
“A lot of my music came from what he was listening to,” she says. “He was really into Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Band and he bought me my first record, a Tom Petty album.”
After graduating from high school, instead of going on to university Edwards decided to pursue her passion for music and began playing in local clubs.
“I probably got into it during my last two years of high school,” she says. “Ani DiFranco was a big influence. I'd try to learn her guitar parts by ear, that very percussive style.”
In 1999, Edwards began writing her own songs. Sherecorded a six-song album entitled Building 55, and embarked on a Canadian tour, traveling across the country in her suburban truck. Booking her own shows, Edwards made just enough gas money to take her from place to place.
In 2004, she released her second album, Back to Me, which earned Edwards a Juno nomination for Songwriter and Adult Alternative Album of the Year. It was produced by guitarist and ex-husband Colin Cripps, a member of the Jim Cuddy Band.
After several albums, Edwards sought a new sound.
“My music wasn’t reflecting all the colours of my personality as well as it should,” she says. “I’ve done the roots-rock, Americana thing, and it wasn’t interesting anymore.”
Her new CD, Voyageur, marks a positive transformation in Edwards’ musical evolution amid expectations that it may gain her mainstream success.
Listen to Edwards’ music on Roots Radio and support her on her current North American tour, coming soon to a city near you.
• For more information, visit http://www.kathleenedwards.org.
– Davin Bujalski
January 21, 2012
CHEF'S CORNER
Roots-friendly recipes for a healthy diet and to bring pleasure to your palate
Zucchini with Tomatoes and Fresh Basil: A colourful, delicious and speedy side dish perfect for completing a warm winter plate. Try using cherry heirloom tomatoes for a gourmet touch.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 zucchini, cut in half then into large chunks
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into eights
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of fresh basil
Preparation:
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat adding enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden. Add the zucchini and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Continue sautéing until the vegetables are tender/ Add the basil leaves before serving.
• Source: The Food Network’s Chef Michael Smith