Jan / Feb 2011

Issue 99 The Source • 1

A window into the world of Roots Issue 99 • January - February 2011

INSPIRINGTHE TEAM

As Roots prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary inTaiwan, Matt Meng has every reason to savour the

brand’s massive success in the Asian country

ROOTS TAIWAN

2 • The Source Issue 99

DepartmentsFINE PRINT

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

STAYING POWER

GREEN TIP

HEALTH TIP

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of recent letters from the world of Roots

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

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantCAROLINE IWANOWSKI

InternsJASMINE DHALIWALRACHEL RAMKARAN

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, 1400Castlefield Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6B4C4 or by email to [email protected] may be edited for length andclarity. Each issue of The Source is alsoavailable, both in blog and PDF formats,on the Roots website at www.roots.com

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THE MAKING OF AGOOD FAMILY DINNERLaurie David celebratesher latest book launch

TRUE HOLIDAY SPIRITGuelph Roots store teamsteps up to the platefor the needy

A SENSE OF PLACERoots featured as primeexample of a Toronto-based success story

GETTING RITZY FOR AGOOD CAUSEBloor Street Entertainsevent raises money forAIDS research

J. COLE AND DRAKE INTHE SPOTLIGHTRap artists perform inToronto with a touch ofCanadian style

SOMETHINGNEWSWORTHYCBC shows how it takes avillage to raise a Rootsbag

MUCH APPRECIATEDWe would like to thank Roots forgenerously donating the BanffBag to our 2010 Special EventsProgram to be used for a raffle ordoor prize. Gift-in-kind dona-tions make a big difference to theevents run for the PrincessMargaret Hospital Foundation.

One of the top five cancerresearch hospitals in the world,The Princess Margaret Hospitalis home to many of the topresearchers and clinicians whowork together to help achieve ourultimate goal – to conquer cancerin our lifetime.Cindy Berk GoelmanDirector, Special EventsThe Princess Margaret Hospi-tal Foundation, Toronto

FASHION FOREVEROn behalf of the Fashion HistoryMuseum, thank you Roots for thekind donation of items from theRoots Douglas Couplandcollection. Each year, we acquiregarments for our permanentcollection of contemporaryCanadian fashion and we are

delighted to include thesesamples, as both Roots andDouglas Coupland are Canadianicons.

Founded in 2004, the FashionHistory Museum is now workingtoward a permanent location forits collection of more than 8,000artifacts dating from the 1960s tothe present. People can keep upwith our progress on our website,fashionhistorymuseum.com.Jonathan WalfordCuratorial Director,Fashion History MuseumCambridge, ON

KEEPING IT REALRecently, while at your BloorStreet store in Toronto, I had awonderful experience. I had gonedirectly there after discoveringthat the Louis Vuitton bag I hadcarried for 10 years was a fake.Imagine my embarrassment.

Given my kitchen renovation,spending $1,300 for a replace-ment bag was out of the question.As I was in the LV store, I lookedacross the street and saw Roots. Iwent there, was served by Emilia

Turano and Andy McCurbinand made my purchase. I trans-ferred my belongings to a newMessenger Bag and am nowproudly carrying my 100%Canadian-made Roots bag that Iknow is authentic.Karen MacKayStouffville, ON

IT’S ABOUT THE KIDSThank for your donation to theRonald McDonald House BC.Your generous contribution of aRoots Banff Bag to our 2010Gala helped raise funds in oursilent auction for seriously illchildren and their families.

By making such a donation,Roots helps us ease the financialpressure on out-of-town familieswho must travel to Vancouver fortheir children’s treatments at BCChildren’s Hospital. This alsohelps us to provide emotionalsupport by allowing families tostay together, experience thecomforts of home, and focus onthe most important thing: givinglove and support to their sickchildren.

We greatly appreciate yourcontinued support.Richard PassCEO, Ronald McDonald HouseVancouver

SUPPORT FOR SPORTMany thanks to Roots forsupporting the Bobby Orr Hall ofFame’s 2010 Celebrity GolfEvent. It proved very successfuland the Roots wallets and giftcards were a great addition to ourgift bags. The Roots customleather bag, featuring the BostonBruins logo and a beautifullyembroidered number “4”, wasone of the coveted items in oursilent auction.

We are very proud of our Hallof Fame, but without the gener-ous support of people andcompanies like Roots, much ofwhat we do would not bepossible.Cheryl RoadManager, Bobby Orr Hall of FameParry Sound, Ontario

Guelph Lake, Ontario

EXPRESS YOURSELFPlease send your letters to

[email protected]. Letters maybe edited for length and clarity.

At the same time, we inviteyou to send us your most creativephotos or illustrations for publica-

tion in The Source.Please send your submissionsto [email protected]


Continued on next page

For most Canadians, Rootsevokes images of bea-vers, lakes, canoes,forests, snow and hockey.

Along with a warm sense ofcomfort and familiarity, suchfeelings are an intrinsic part ofthe brand’s homegrown appeal.Halfway across the globe in Asiawhere such imagery couldn’t bemore exotic, Roots is alsomaking a strong connection withpeople. In particular, Roots hasbecome a major player on thetropical island of Taiwan, andthe casual, outdoorsy northernimage behind the label is clearlypart of the attraction.

This year marks the 15thanniversary of Roots in Taiwanand there’s much to celebrate.Since 1996, the iconic Canadianbrand has become the Taiwanesefavourite for casual wear and itsrise in popularity shows no signsof abating. In 2010, five newRoots stores opened, bringingthe total to an impressive 38, byfar the strongest retail presenceof Roots in an Asian country.

If last year is indicative ofwhat’s in store in 2011, it’sbound to be a happy anniversaryindeed. Last year, in addition tosubstantial retail growth, Rootsfurther raised its profile througha series of special events involv-

TAKING TAIWANBY STORM

As Roots prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary in Taiwan, Matt Meng has reason to savourthe incredible success story in which he’s played the leading role. By RACHEL RAMKARAN

ing customers that generatedconsiderable media attention.There was a “Summer Funfair”where shoppers enjoyed icecream and had their photos takenwith the Roots beaver mascot;the launch of the Canada Daycollection at Roots drew a crowdas local TV interviewed the headof the Canadian Trade Office in

Taipei about how Canadianscelebrate their national birthday;and there was even an eventwhere two high profile TVpersonalities acted as Roots storemanagers for a day.

“It’s not easy if you want toavoid seeing the Roots logo onthe streets of Taiwan,” says MattMeng, 41. “We’ve been fortu-nate to attain an incredible levelof popularity so that todayTaiwanese choose Roots in partdue to its leading status in thelocal marketplace.”

Now Director of RootsTaiwan, Matt began with thebrand in 1997, a year after itdebuted in the country, and hasbeen instrumental in makingRoots the resounding success itis in Taiwan today. But why doesa label based so heavily onCanadian culture and imagery

resonate so strongly withTaiwanese?

“The timing was right whenRoots entered the Taiwanesemarket,” says Matt. “The trendof casual lifestyles had started tobe prevalent and people werepaying attention to casual wear.”

Liz Doggett, Director ofWholesale Operations, based out

of the head office in Toronto, hasbeen to Taiwan many times forRoots and has seen how peoplethere value an active lifestyleand appreciate the outdoors,consistent with the Roots culture

“In Taiwan, Matt and histeam have embraced and builtupon the winning formula ofRoots in Canada,” says Liz.“Even better, Roots Taiwan wasone of the first brands in Asia tointroduce and promote eco-friendly products along with arelated way of living andoperating a business.”

Roots in Taiwan beganmodestly. In 1996, a localcompany called Song Friendbecame the first distributor ofthe brand there and opened thefirst freestanding store in thecapital, Taipei. They added threemore freestanding stores in

1997, two in Taipei and one inTaichung.

When Matt joined the Rootsteam as Brand Manager, therewere only two stores in Taipei. Itwouldn’t take long before hedevised a strategy to take thecompany to new heights. It’ssurprising given his originalambition was to become anengineer after graduating fromuniversity with a major in MetalMaterial in 1986. He alsoconsidered studying car designin Detroit but eventually decidedto seek other opportunities.

In 1993, Matt entered thefashion sector as Floor Supervi-sor at Taiwan’s Sunrise Depart-ment store. He instantly liked thework, which led him to become abuyer for Dolce & Gabbana in1995. Two years later, he beganhis career at Roots. His depart-ment store experience gave himthe insight necessary to trysomething different to attractmore customers to Roots.

“Taiwanese customers prefershopping at department stores,”says Matt. “I believed thatdepartment stores would be themost important selling channelfor the development of Roots inTaiwan.”

In 1998, the first Roots shop-

Matt Meng with Roots employeesat the flagship store in Taipei

“Summer Funfair” at Roots in Taiwan

Landmark ‘Taipei 101’ sky-scraper in Taiwanese capital


Continued from previous pagein-shop (SIS) opened at SunriseDepartment store. A section ofthe large store was dedicated toRoots merchandise, attractingcustomers previously unfamiliarwith the brand. With this devel-opment came a massive follow-ing of consumers that paved theway for Roots to pepper Taiwanwith stores. As a result, mostRoots locations adopted the SISformat.

As Vice-President of Whole-sale and Business Development,Melinda McDonald overseesthe expansion of Roots in Asiafrom the Toronto head office.“Having worked closely withMatt and his team over the pastdecade, I can say first hand thatthe success of Roots there isbased on Matt’s commitment totranslate our core values to hismarket,” says Melinda, who’sbeen to Taiwan many times forRoots. “Matt is an incrediblyloyal brand ambassador, who hasworked tirelessly to develop andgrow Roots through storeexpansion, creation of a RootsVIP program, unique marketingand promotional initiatives, andcustom merchandise collectionsto capitalize on market trends.”

In 2006, Li & Fung, a largeHong Kong-based trading

company, purchased 16 of the 18stores owned by Song Friend.This allowed Matt and his teamto further increase the Rootsprofile in Taiwan.

Even though there’s already asubstantial Roots retail presencein Taiwan, the market is by nomeans saturated. In fact, theteam in Taiwan intends to openat least six new stores in 2011.

“Given the thawing relation-ship with Mainland China, I’mvery bullish about the economicprospects of Taiwan,” saysJoseph Phi, President, Logistics,Li & Fung. “Under the exem-plary leadership of Matt, RootsTaiwan has grown from strengthto strength and is in a uniqueposition to further capitalize onthe market potential. With asolid management team and on-the-ground infrastructure, thebest is yet to come.”

Other plans in 2011 includethe launch of a new website inApril to develop e-commerce.The team is also gearing up tointroduce a special collection inthe fall for the 100th anniversaryof the Republic of China (ofwhich Taiwan constitutes themain part; see sidebar).

Roots Co-Founders DonGreen and Michael Budmangreatly admire Matt for what

Taiwan makes up the vastmajority of what is known as the

Republic of China (ROC), which iscelebrating its 100th anniversarythis year. Unlike the People’sRepublic of China (PRC), themuch larger communist countryrecognized simply as China,Taiwan isgoverned by amulti-partydemocracy. Foryears, the tworepublics foughtto be recognizedas the solelegitimategovernment ofChina. The ROCeventually gave up that fight but itdoesn’t adhere to the PRC’scommunist regime.

Taiwan has not officiallydeclared independence but it’s anautonomous, self-governed stateover which China has no jurisdic-tion.Capital city: TaipeiNeighbours: To the west: China;to the north: Japan; to the south:the PhilippinesPopulation: 23,140,000

TAIWAN 101Fast facts on this Asian island

Official language: MandarinOther languages: Taiwanese,HakkaMost popular religions: Bud-dhism, Taoism, ChristianityMajor exports: Electrical machin-ery, electronics, iron and steel,plastic products

Major imports:raw materials,capital goods,coal, crude oil,gasCurrency: NewTaiwan Dollar(NT$)National sport:BaseballCultural

staples in Taiwan: The NationalPalace Museum is considered tohave the greatest collection ofChinese art and objects in theworld; karaoke is a popular hobbyinherited when the Japaneseoccupied the country after theSino-Japanese War (1895-1945);Taiwan is the birth place of“bubble tea,” a beverage createdin the 1980s and now highlypopular in Asia, Europe and NorthAmerica.

he’s done in Taiwan. “Matt islike an angel dropped fromheaven on Roots’ lap,” says Don.“In our minds, he’s made one ofthe biggest contributions toRoots in our history. Since DayOne, he’s been able to absorband understand Roots cultureand make it real 12,000 kilome-tres away in a completelydifferent culture where he’sturned it into the number onelifestyle brand. Through hisentrepreneurial skills and othertalents, Matt has developed anoutstanding team around himwhich is the most difficult andimportant function of a leaderand created world class Rootsstores there which Michael and Iare very proud of.”

In keeping with a time-honoured Roots tradition inCanada, Matt and his team arealso involved in good causes.

“After years of Rootsbusiness development in Taiwan,we believe it’s our responsibilityto give something back to ourlocal community,” says Matt. “In2010, the issue of stray dogsreceived a lot of media attention.I decided to raise funds forTaiwan’s Stray Dog Home andPet Club by selling 2011 calen-dars that we produced.”

The calendars featurebeautiful photos of stray dogsand cats wearing Roots leatherbandanas. A portion of proceedsfrom the sale of each calendar

will be donated to help aban-doned animals. As he and hisfamily have a dog and 15 cats,Matt couldn’t be happier aboutthe fund-raising effort, which hehopes will help give a better lifeto many homeless animals.

“Joining forces with Li andFung to establish an extremelypowerful brand that Taiwanesepeople can relate to has beensuch a positive thing for theentire Roots Canada team,” saysMichael. “In fact, I’ve been soimpressed by Taiwan and thesuccess of Roots there that Iencouraged my daughter Alex tovisit Taiwan this winter to see forherself what Matt and his teamhave done there with Roots.”

Central to the success ofRoots is the fact that it’s alwaysbeen a multi-dimensionalcompany not confined only tomaking and selling merchandise.Roots has always understoodthat in its various initiatives thebrand should engage customersand reflect their interests andneeds. Matt has a firm grasp ofthis notion and it’s people likehim who are vital to the successof Roots. That he has been ableto take a brand so innatelyCanadian and make it flourish ina Taiwanese framework speaksvolumes of his winning personal-ity and many talents. As long asMatt is on the team, it’s a goodbet Roots will continue to shinein Taiwan.

Models at a runway show forRoots clothing in Taiwan

Furry friends in Roots calendar raisefunds for stray animals in Taiwan


Long-time friend of RootsLaurie David recentlyvisited Toronto to promote

her new book, The FamilyDinner: Great Ways to Connectwith Your Kids, One Meal at aTime. It combines healthyrecipes, conversation starters andhelpful tips to bring a familytogether for the most importantpart of the day – mealtime.

To celebrate David’s booklaunch, Roots co-founderMichael Budman and his wifeDiane Bald hosted a supper oftheir own. Celebrity chef JamieKennedy was enlisted to createa feast inspired by The FamilyDinner. The party of 18 includedRoots Co-Founder Don Greenand his wife Denyse Green;Indigo Books founder and CEOHeather Reisman; Olympicgold medalist and President/CEO of Right to Play JohannKoss; Chairman of Maple LeafSports and Entertainment LarryTanenbaum and his wife JudyTanenbaum; Director/CEO ofthe Toronto International Film

Laurie David celebrates her latest book launch in styleTHE MAKING OF A GOOD FAMILY DINNER

Festival Piers Handling; andZoomer magazine Editor-in-Chief Suzanne Boyd.

The new book is the latest ina long list of accomplishmentsfor David. Her previous books,

Stop Global Warming: TheSolution is You! and The Downto Earth Guide to GlobalWarming, were sold at selectRoots stores in Canada. In 2006,she also teamed up with Roots to

create and sell Stop GlobalWarming bracelets (made fromscrap leather), which since thenhave raised more than $150,000for the U.S.-based Stop GlobalWarming Fund. Additionally,David is a seasoned film pro-ducer, focusing on projectsrelated to environmental issues.She produced the 2006 AcademyAward-winning film, An Incon-venient Truth, a documentarybased on former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore’s researchinto global warming.

On her book’s website Davidwrites: “As my kids have gottenolder, I see how truly instrumen-tal those dinners, meal after mealafter meal, have been in keepingmy family connected to eachother in good times and bad,even through a divorce andduring the ‘difficult’… teenyears.”

With so much on her plate,David sets a good example forfamilies that could try a little bitharder to make time for familymeals.

In late November, Gilda’sClub Greater Toronto held its9th annual “It’s Always

Something” variety show, anevent that Roots has longsupported. Gilda’s Club, whichassists people living with cancer,hosted the evening at thePrincess of Wales Theatre in thecity’s entertainment district.

Thanks to more than 40performers who offered their

Celebrities take home new tote bags donated by Roots at charity eventIT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING… THAT ROOTS CARES ABOUT

time, and several corporatedonors, the event proved a greatsuccess. Every year since theshow first began in 2002, Rootshas contributed various productsas gifts. This year, the companydonated customized French ToteBags made in the Roots leathergoods factory in Toronto. Thebags, featuring the Gilda’s Clublogo, were presented to membersof the cast and crew including

CTV’s Canada AM host BeverlyThomson, CHUM-FM radiopersonality Ingrid Schumacher,and the cast of the femalecomedy troupe Women FullyClothed.

The Princess of WalesTheatre, which seats 2,000, wasnearly sold out for the event.Proceeds from ticket sales wentto Gilda’s Club, named after thelate comedian Gilda Radner.For the fourth consecutive year,comedian Russell Peters hostedthe event. Other performersincluded So YouThink You Can DanceCanada’s DenysDroznyuk and hispartner AntoninaSkobina, Jim Cuddyand Greg Keelor ofthe band Blue Rodeo,comedians ColinMochrie and BradSherwood andmagician David Ben.

A good friend ofRoots, Radner died ofovarian cancer in

1989. Two years later, herhusband and fellow actor GeneWilder founded Gilda’s Clubwith the help of friends. Thereare now 29 branches of theorganization in Canada and theUnited States, which are dubbed“clubhouses” by the charity. Thisyear’s variety show raised morethan $350,000 to keep the reddoors of Toronto’s “clubhouse”open. Since the first “It’s AlwaysSomething” show in 2002, theevent has raised more than $2.5million for the charity.

From L to R: Jayne Eastwood, Robin Duke, KathrynGreenwood and Teresa Pavlinek, all membersof the comedy group Women Fully Clothed

Dan Levy, (left), and Eugene Levy

Laurie David, (left), displays her new book with friend Diane Bald


FESTIVE SEND-OFFHead office staff enjoy year-end luncheon to celebrate holidays and all of 2010

The air was rife with holidayspirit in late December atthe Roots headquarters in

Toronto. It was most evident atthe annual holiday luncheon heldfor head office staff that alsocelebrated the successes of 2010.

Doug Sargent, retiredDistrict Chief of the Toronto FireFighters Association, kicked offthe festivities by commendinghead office employees for

contributing gifts for the TorontoFire Fighters Toy Drive. Heexplained how the generousdonations help bring cheer tounderprivileged children duringthe holiday season.

Roots Co-founders MichaelBudman and Don Greenaddressed the group next,expressing their gratitude for thehard work of employees over theyear. Without it, they said, Roots

would not have made 2010 somemorable. They cited fourmajor highlights – the record-breaking Roots sales in Vancou-ver during the Winter Olympics;the collaboration between Rootsand artist/writer DouglasCoupland on a separate collec-tion; the re-launch of footwear;and the “General Store” holidaytheme which brought classicRoots merchandise together withother seasonal essentials such ascandy and stocking-stuffers.

Don and Michael also tookthe opportunity to acknowledgeworkers who have reachedsignificant benchmark anniversa-ries in their careers at Roots andpresented them with gifts.

The folks at head officeweren’t the only ones havingsome holiday fun. Year-endluncheons were also hosted atthe leather factory and theDistribution Centre (DC) inToronto. At the factory party,employees enjoyed a big screenscreening of the CBC reportentitled “Buying Canadian” thatfocused on Roots and wasbroadcast on The National in

mid-December. As they watchedthe TV piece, staff cheered inrecognition of colleagues whoappeared on the screen. Prizeswere also raffled off at the partyin keeping with an annualtradition. Don and Michaelthanked everyone for their hardwork and craftsmanship in 2010,which was one of the factory’sbusiest years in its history.

At the DC, there was also araffle at the holiday party. Thetop two prizes were a 32” LCDtelevision and a six-burner gasbarbeque. Michael and Donshowed their appreciation to theDC staff for their dedication andperseverance through thechallenges in 2010. For his part,Bob Baker, Director of DCOperations, tipped his hat to theco-founders, thanking them forbeing part of the holiday celebra-tion and for providing anenvironment in which the DCteam can excel.

The seasonal festivitiesended 2010 on a positive note,just like the way it began, and setthe stage for yet another greatyear in 2011.

Roots Co-founders with long-time employees (L to R): Orthenz Singson, MichaelBudman, Sherry Noorhassan, Don Green, Jenny Gazel, Josann Creighton-Robinson, Janice Blair and Bashir Popal.

To brighten the holidays for afew lucky customers, Rootsheld two online contests in

December. For a chance atwinning aleatherWeekenderBag, it wasas simple asjoining theRootsInsideremail list.On top ofreceivinginformationabout newproductsand exclu-sive offers,subscriberswereautomatically entered into adraw. With one giveaway eachday until Christmas, 24 shopperstook the quality leather bagshome.

As Laurie Condie from

Mississauga, Ontario found out,it can pay to speak your mind.She reviewed the Chunky CableEarflap hat and was entered into

the Rating andReview Contestthat was alsoopen to entrantsduring theholiday season.The outcome?Condie won a$3,000 Rootswardrobe!Anyone whoreviewed aproduct onlinefrom earlyDecember toJanuary 3 wasentered into adraw for the

generous prize.More giveaways will be

happening in the coming months.Keep your eyes on the “What’sNew” portion of the Rootswebsite for your chance to win.

Congratulations to big winners of holiday drawsWE’RE ROOTING FOR YOU

SNEAK PEAK

California’s Joshua Tree NationalPark is the backdrop for the

upcoming campaign showcasingthe new Roots spring line. With itswarm, dry climate and distinctivelandscape, the park proved an idealsetting to photograph the collection,which will be launched as theCanadian winter starts to recede.

Los Angeles-based Canadianphotographer Rylan Perry, who has

Capturing images for the upcoming ad campaign for thenew spring collection

worked with Roots before, wasbehind the camera for the shoot thattook place in mid-January under theon-location direction of CreativeProducer Diane Bald and Managerof Visual Presentation PatrickDavis. The campaign, which willconsist of newspaper ads, storeposters and online visuals atroots.com, will begin in lateFebruary.

A winningprize: RootsWeekenderBag


Business is essential to thehealth and vitality of acity. Invest Toronto, as its

name suggests, is a local agencypromoting the city as a destina-tion for Canadian and foreigncompanies to invest and developnew opportunities.

Increasingly, governmentsare reaching out far and wide toattract business and investmentto their major cities. A semi-public body, Invest Toronto ispart of such an effort. In Octo-ber, it greatly expanded itswebsite, in part to help compa-nies access relevant resourcematerial. Among its diversecontent, the site also showcasesleading businesses in Toronto.In the “Success Stories andProfiles” part of the News andReports section, it featuresRoots.

“Great cities are bothincubators and magnets forentrepreneurial talent and

Roots featured as prime example of a Toronto-based success storyA SENSE OF PLACE

creativity,” it writes. “With theirurban dynamic, they attract andnurture those driven to succeedin business and other spheres.Toronto and Roots Canada are aclassic illustration of thissynergy… Toronto has alwayshad a central role in the successof Roots. Not only did the city

attract cofounders MichaelBudman and Don Green to movethere in their youth from theirnative Detroit, it also made theirbusiness possible. To this day,they are the consummateambassadors for Toronto,forever paying tribute to the city,both for its quality of life and as

a place to run an internationallysuccessful business.”

Since its inception in 1973,Roots – just like its host city –has grown considerably, both insize and diversity, all the whilebecoming a more global entity.Interestingly, Toronto is whereRoots, has by far, the greatestnumber of stores compared toany other single metropolitanarea in North America. It’s anexcellent example of a symbioticrelationship between a place anda business.

“Roots is the quintessentialToronto success story,” saysNikki Holland, Vice President ofInvest Toronto. “It’s exactly thetype of company we want toshowcase as Invest Torontopromotes our city around theworld, especially to businesses.Toronto has played an importantrole in helping Roots and otherCanadian companies achievesuccess.”

Dinner guests lookedstunning as they seatedthemselves around large

wooden tables for a gourmetfeast. It was hard to believe thatjust a few hours earlier, sports-wear and jackets took centrestage in this same space.

In late November, a dinnertook place at the Roots flagshipstore in Toronto as part of BloorStreet Entertains, an annualfundraiser for the CanadianFoundation for AIDS Research(CANFAR). For 14 years,several stores in the Yorkville

Annual Bloor Street Entertains event raises money for AIDS researchGETTING RITZY FOR A GOOD CAUSE

neighbourhood have temporarilymorphed into dining rooms tohost exclusive dinners. Rootsparticipated in the event for the8th consecutive time, joining 22other shops this year.

Staying true to the “generalstore” theme already in effect forthe holidays, Roots used theseasonal fixtures and decorationsas a backdrop for the dinner. Asa throwback to classicCanadiana, the place settingswere faux tree stumps and thetable had mushroom-filledcentrepieces. Not surprisingly,

the focal point of the eveningwas food, and guests were notdisappointed. For the event,Trevor Kitchen and Bar gener-ously provided an extravagantfive-course meal which includedspicy ahi tuna tartare, braisedbeef short ribs and passion fruitmeringue pie. To top it all off,each course was paired with oneof Wayne Gretzky’s fine wines.

With a guest list of 30,attendees of the Roots gatheringincluded the company’s co-founder Michael Budman andhis wife Diane Bald; CEO of

Indigo Books Heather Reismanand her husband, GerrySchwartz, CEO of OnexCorporation. The RBC Founda-tion, Toronto Life magazine andthe Four Seasons Hotel alsopurchased seats.

Participants paid $600 apiecefor the Bloor Street Entertainsdinners while tickets for the afterparty were $100. Since itsinception in 1996, the annualevent has raised more than $3.8million for various HIV/AIDSresearch grants awarded byCANFAR.

Skyscrapers in Toronto’sfinancial district

Raymond Perkins of Roots Dinner guests await a feast at store Chef Trevor Wilkinson R&B artist Aion Clarke


FINE PRINT

Here are somerecent sightingsof Roots in thepages ofnewspapers andmagazines:

A selection of coverageof Roots in the media

Roots has a new friend inup-and-coming rapper

J. Cole. For his first showin Toronto in early December, hetook to the stage sporting acustom-made Roots jacket.Earlier that day, the NorthCarolina native wore the samejacket, the left breast bearing hisname, when he appeared onMTV Live.

Rap artists perform in Toronto with a touch of Canadian styleJ. COLE AND DRAKE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Even though he has yet torelease a debut studio album,Cole, 25, has a large fan follow-ing. Case in point: The SoundAcademy, a large, popularToronto venue, was sold out forhis performance. Fans receivedan extra treat when Cole broughtout his friend and collaborator,Drake to great applause. Thetwo musicians performed “In the

Morning” together for the firsttime live.

Drake was also donningRoots gear with a Beaver Canoehoody. Bloggers took notice ofthe fashion choice. For example,The Real Frequency blogcommended him, “for reppin’and bringing back the BeaverCanoe hoody.” The young star isa known supporter of Roots.

Drake performing atThe Sound Academy

J. Cole, (left), and Drake backstage with a fan

HHHHHans Gerhardt may bebest known for his eightyears as President and

Managing Director of Toronto’sfamous Sutton Place Hotel buthe’s also worn many other hats.In addition to his long tenure inthe hotel industry, both inCanada and the Caribbean, he’sdone marketing for a luxury cardealer, an international clothingbrand and a national printingcompany, and is currentlyinvolved with a company in thecurrency exchange field. As if allthat were not enough, he’s nowalso trying his hand at being anartist’s agent. With such aneclectic background, Gerhardt,69, has great stories to tell –which he does in an engagingmanner in his new book, HotelBiz: a Memoir. It reveals manyof the experiences that haveshaped his life.

The origins of the book dateback a decade. Known forconstantly being highly active,Gerhardt experienced a sobering

Hans Gerhardt shares tales from his illustrious life with readersHOTELIER LAUNCHES NEW BOOK AT ROOTS

few months in 2001 that forcedhim to take stock of his life. Thereal estate investment companyhe was working for closed andhe lost his job; a couple of

months later, he underwentmajor surgery; his wife wasdiagnosed with melanoma; andthen on Sept. 11 his son waskilled in the terrorist attacks onNew York’s World Trade Centre.The tragic chain of eventsprompted Gerhardt to reflect and

write a book, which he dedicatedto his late son Ralph Gerhardt.

“9/11 brought me to acomplete stop,” says Gerhardt.“I recalled my life from the day Iwas born to today.” He re-counted much of his life with thehelp of logbooks and journalsthat he has been keeping formore than 40 years.

In early December, Rootsthrew a launch party forGerhardt, an old friend, tocelebrate his latest accomplish-ment. Complete with horsd’oeuvres and Wayne Gretzkywine, the event took place at theflagship store on Toronto’s BloorStreet. There was a strongturnout, as many of Gerhardt’sformer employees and col-leagues appeared at the launch.Notable guests included Rootsco-founder Michael Budmanwho addressed the guests, youngrapper J. Cole, and wine criticand writer Tony Aspler.

Gerhardt’s book is beingcarried by select Roots stores.

• Shops.ca: Dec. 24. Fea-tures the Flat Saddle Bag invintage tribe leather, the LolaLeather Hobo Bag and theLeslie Mittens in biking red.• Paper magazine: Dec.Roots-Douglas CouplandCrystal Skateboard cited asone of the hot items for theholidays.• Toronto Star: Dec. Mentionsatchels from Roots aspractical stylish pieces.• SweetSpot.ca: Dec. GettingDressed section featuresRoots Western Riding Boots.• Toronto Life: Dec. Featuresthe Mini Satchel in khakigreen in gift guide.• Chatelaine: Dec. Spotlightsthe Woodsman Bomber aspart of their gift guide• DailyXY.com: Dec. RootsWestgrove Plaid Scarffeatured in top 10 scarves forwinter list.• 2Magazine: Dec. Featuresthe Tuff Skin iPhone case inholiday gift guide.• Now: Nov. 18. The holidaygift guide features thePenelope Duffle Coat, theBuffalo Plaid Burnout T-shirt,and the Men’s Chukka Boots.• Eye Weekly: Nov. 17.Features the WoodsmanBomber, Roots duffle bagsand sweatpants.• Breakfast Television: Nov.17. Woodman’s Bomberfeatured in a gift-givingsegment.• Toronto Star: Nov. 17.Features the women’sBeaconsfield Sweater and theModern Satchel in tribe.• Thesoulsofmyshoes.com:Nov.15. Features the VillageSatchel in denim.• Dailysqueeze.ca: Nov. 15.Features the OriginalSweatpant in their fit listholiday gift guide.• Toronto Star: Nov. 11.Photo shoot featuring a Rootsblanket and men’s NordiquesFZ Cardigan in multi.• National Post: Nov. 8.Isabella Bag featured in Battleof the Blades fashion shoot.• Realstylenetwork.com:Nov. Features women’s RollOver Boot in tribe leather.

Hans Gerhardt


The Roots Village Bagrecently got the startreatment on television. In

mid-December, the popularhandbag was featured in alengthy news piece about theeconomic impactof consumersbuying Canadian-made products,which aired onCBC’s TheNational.

The report byCBC SeniorBusiness CorrespondentAmanda Lang illustrated howpurchasing domestically-madeitems positively influences thecountry’s economy. She ex-plained that each dollar spent onCanadian goods has a ripple

CBC shows how it takes a village to raise a Roots bag made and purchased in CanadaSOMETHING NEWSWORTHY

effect as it fuels different sectorsincluding retail and manufactur-ing. As part of this pattern, thepiece included comments fromMaria Silva, who has worked inthe Roots leather factory since

1996. Sheexplained thatwith herpaycheque, shein turn spendsmoney onvarious things inCanada therebycontributing to

the country’s economy.The CBC chose Roots

because it’s an iconic Canadianbrand that still does much of itsmanufacturing in Canada,including at its factory inToronto. As Roots Co-founder

Michael Budman explained inthe report, he and fellow Co-founder Don Green rejectedrecommendations from consult-ants who, about ten years ago,suggested that the leather factorybe closed and manufacturingmoved overseas to save money.That would have compromisedthe quality of the leather prod-ucts that have always been aRoots staple.

As one of the three topselling products in the history ofRoots, the Village Bag hasgenerated a great deal of revenuefor the Canadian economy. ACBC camera crew filmed thebag’s journey from the factorywhere it was designed and made,to the Distribution Centre whereit was inspected and packaged,and on to the flagship store onToronto’s Bloor Street where it

was unpacked and displayed.The final leg of the bag’s voyagehappened when a customerpurchased it while the CBC wasthere. She spoke on cameraabout her satisfaction with theVillage Bag she already ownedand her desire to have anotherone.

By capturing the multiplesteps involved in producing andselling the bag, the CBC por-trayed the many jobs created bymanufacturing products inCanada. In fact, the CBC teamcalculated that 63 Roots employ-ees were involved in designing,making, transporting, distribut-ing and selling each Village Bag.

The story, entitled “BuyingCanadian,” can still be viewedon www.cbc.ca, as well as on theRoots blog “ The Buzz” atbuzz.roots.com.

Guelph Roots store team steps up to the plate for the needyTRUE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Every year, Jessica Eusebio,Manager of the Stone RoadMall store in Guelph, Ontario,

volunteers for the city’s main foodbank. This year, she invited her teamto also participate. In between workand studies, the staff – all of whomare students at the University ofGuelph – have contributed to thecharity. Each employee has put inapproximately seven shifts, rangingfrom three to four hours at a time.

Established in 1989, the GuelphFood Bank collects lightly usedgoods, clothing and food to distributeto those in need. Its work is moreeffective thanks to the help of volun-teers, including those from Roots.

Jessica praises her team and theirdedication during the holiday season.

“They are really good, happy, fullhearted people,” says Jessica. “I’m soproud of the company and the storestaff.” She voiced appreciationspecifically for the support shereceived from the Roots head office,which donated clothing to the foodbank.

The efforts of the Guelph storeemployees did not go unnoticed.Rogers Cable spotlighted the store’sstaff at the Guelph Food Bank in astory to air on television. It can beviewed on the Rogers TV website.

Although the efforts by the store’steam began as a Christmas initiative,the group hopes to stay involved withgood causes throughout 2011, such asparticipating in environmental projectsthis spring.

The hard workof factory employeeMaria Silvais captured by CBC

Top L to R: Hailey Yearham, Katie McCarthy, Michael Capstickand Brianne Clarke. Bottom: Laura Sanford and Giuli Giancotta

Michael Budman givesreporter Amanda Lang a tourof the factory in Toronto

Above: Graphic from CBC showsit takes 63 people to create,distribute and sell one Village Bag


NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

Slouch TankDress, BlackMix, $68

AnnabelleCardigan,Canyon, $128

Perfect Deep-VTee, White, $30

Emily Shirt,Ombre, $58

Burnout Printed Tee,Dusty Olive, $38

Karoline Bag inPrince Leather,Canadian Red,$188

Olivia Bag in SuperPalma Lux Leather,Black, $258

Village Bag in Super PalmaLux Leather, Black, $188

Kristina Bag in WovenLeather, Black, $268

New Flat Saddle in Prince Leather,Canadian Red, $218

Jungle FloralPrint Scarf,San Marzano,$30


NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

Norbie Bag in Veg TanLeather, Black, $328

UBC Tech Jacket, Fatigue,$158

RBA T-Shirt, MediumGrey Mix/Green, $30

Dalhousie Full ZipHoody, MediumGrey Mix, $80

Jet Bag in Veg TanLeather, Black, $328

Cassidy RangerLeather Jacket in deer,Black, $588

Reilly Shirt,Estate Blue, $60

British Saddle in Veg Tan Leather, Black, $388 Raiders Bag in Veg Tan Leather, Black, $278


Easy ways to stay healthyHEALTH TIP #60

Spotlighting the top performing Roots stores in recent months based on their sales resultsGREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED INTaking attendance of special guests in the world of Roots

Don’tforgetyouroats:Eating abowl ofoatmeal

every morning is the perfect wayto start your day. If you want tobe nice to your body, natural oatsare beneficial for your health.Oatmeal contains a soluble fiberknown as beta-glucan, a naturalimmunity booster that helps fightoff bacterial infections andstabilize blood sugar and insulinlevels. The fiber also reducescholesterol levels in the blood-stream.

There are other goodreasons to eat oatmeal, as it:• Reduces the risk of heartdisease and type 2 diabetes• Normalizes blood pressure• Assists with weight loss

If the prospect of eatingoatmeal straight does not grabyou due to its taste, jazz it up byadding:• Natural sweeteners such asfruit, honey, cinnamon or stevia• Milk (instead of water)which also adds calcium• Egg whites for highquality protein• Nuts or granola for somecrunch and fiber

Oats have been cultivated for2,000 years in various regionsthroughout the world. Beforebeing consumed as a food, theywere used for medicinal pur-poses, for which people in manycountries still use oats today.

Not only is oatmeal good foryou, it’s fast, convenient andinexpensive. When buyingoatmeal, choose natural oatsrather than pre-packagedoatmeal, which is often loadedwith sugar, stripped of nutrientsand expensive.• Source: The World’s HealthiestFoods, www.whfoods.org

Andy McCurbin, Michael Budman, MarkWahlberg, Rasta Phil, Diane Bald

Drake

Stephen Harper

Johnny Reid

Billy Boyd surrounded by Roots employees

Kerry Carter and Dahrran Diedrick

Celebrities have long madea point of shopping at anddeveloping friendly ties with

Roots. Here are the latestsightings of prominent figuresfrom the world of entertainmentand sports who recently visitedRoots stores or were seenwearing Roots.• Bloor Street, Toronto – MarkWahlberg, American actor andproducer and his friend RastaPhil, Trinidadian reggae musi-cian, dropped by to promoteWahlberg’s new film The Fighter.He purchased Roots DesertBoots and sweatpants.• Station Mall, Sault Ste. Marie,Ontario – Billy Boyd, Scottishactor and musician, mostfamous for playing the role ofPippin in the film adaptations of

The Lord of the Rings, stoppedby the store while filming amovie in the area. He purchasedseveral T-Shirts including theBaby Boy Rba Flag short sleeve,Vintage Heather tee andShadow Rba Classic tee.• Market Mall, Calgary, Alberta– The Right Honorable StephenHarper, Prime Minister ofCanada, shopped at the storeaccompanied by security guards.He picked up an Olivia Bag forhis wife whom he claimed lovesRoots.• Downtown Kingston Store,Ontario – Johnny Reid,country musical artist in Canada,visited the store after his per-formance at the K-Rock Centrein Kingston. He picked out theSophie Sweater Coat, Girly

Sporty Sweater, Baby OpenBottom Sweat Pants, Baby FullZip Hoody and the SophieAthletic Jacket, all for his newdaughter. In addition, he took thetime to sign some autographs.• Drake was spotted courtside inmid-Dec. at the New YorkKnicks vs. Boston Celticsbasketball game in New York.He was sporting the Men’sCassidy Ranger’s Jacket fromRoots.• Bloor St., Toronto – DahrranDiedrick and Kerry Carter ofthe CFL’s Montreal Alouettesfootball team stopped by thestore to celebrate their 2010Grey Cup win and to show offtheir official Grey Cup Rings.They posed for several photoswith employees.

Pen Centre Store in St. Catharines, L to R: Taylor Langshaw, Shaun Valeriote, Casey Smith,Ashley Hardman, Kate Riediger, Jenna Cutting and Ashley Demmery. Missing in photo:Leanne D’Achille, Mallory Wheeler, Ashley Hatt, Kaitlin Horne, Susan Tope, Marlo Saganski,Kyle Mackinnon, Ally Dwyer-Joyce, Katie Vaughn and Brittany Wilcox

Before this issue of The Source went to press, we receivedthe final sales figures for retail stores in recent months.

The Pen Centre location in St. Catharines, Ontario took topspot for both December and November, making it the winningcompany store three months in a row.

As for the Roots 73/Outlet category, the LansdownePlace outlet in Peterborough, Ontario came in first place.The Durham Outlet in Ajax, Ontario took the honours inNovember.

Congratulations to Casey Smith, Manager of the PenCentre store, Todd Fournier, Manager of the LandsdownePlace outlet, and Denise Hosking, Manager of the DurhamCentre outlet, and to their respective teams for their exem-plary performances.

Hats off to all of the other stores that surpassed their salesgoals in December and November.


DÉJÀ VUStraight from the archives: A vintage Roots moment Saluting those who go

the distance

STAYING POWER

Urmila Chauhan, LeatherStitcher, 35 yearsBruce Edgar Cox, LeatherCoordinator, 35 yearsDuc Ngo, Leather Lining, 30yearsLuis Sanchez, DC Mainte-nance, 30 yearsJudy Hurlburt, PersonalAssistant, 25 yearsRebecca Fernando, Mer-chandise Manager, 15 yearsPhuong Ngo, LeatherStitcher, 15 yearsMaria Silva, Leather Stitcher,15 yearsBernadette Chambers, DCAdministration, 10 yearsErin Clark, Keyholder, 5 yearsNathalie Giroux, StoreManager, 5 yearsStephanie Holden, CreativeDirector, 5 yearsTracy Klem, Graphic De-signer, 5 yearsMaria Medeiros, FactoryAdministration, 5 yearsShannyn Ormiston, StoreManager, 5 yearsJina Ro, Technician, 5 yearsROYAL STYLE: Britain’s

Prince William, (far left), isall over the news lately. Hisrecent engagement to KateMiddleton has generatedconsiderable excitement for thesecond in line for the Britishthrone and his future wife.William has come a long waysince his difficult teen yearsfollowing the sudden loss of hismother, Princess Diana whodied in a car crash in 1997.

For years, Roots hasbeen a popular choicefor busi-nesses and media

personalities when orderingcustomized merchandise.Celebrities such as RussellCrowe, Barbra Streisand andSteven Spielberg have all usedRoots when looking forspecially designed apparel.

In the latest collaborationwith an NBC program, Rootsmade customized clothing forJimmy Fallon, host of the talkshow Late Night With JimmyFallon. The order consisted of390 long sleeved thermal teesfor his show’s staff, just in timefor the holidays.

Made in Canada, the beige-coloured tops are produced from

100% cotton. They carry theshow’s logo in red on the leftsleeve with the Roots logo on thebottom left corner of the shirt.

JIMMY SHOWS HIS TEAM COLOURSLate Night staff members keep cozy with Roots apparel

This is not the first timeFallon has partnered withRoots. As a long time friend ofthe company, he previouslyordered customized hoodiesand in 2009, Fallon alsopresented a Roots USA bag onthe Oprah Winfrey Show as anauction item. Coming from astrong comedy backgroundincluding being a former castmember of Saturday NightLive, Fallon has led his latenight show to success since itspremiere in 2009.

Roots and NBC share ahighly successful on-going

relationship dating back to theearly ‘90s, when it created theSaturday Night Live collectionof apparel, and in recent years

also made clothing for thepopular TV series The Office.

David Jackson, AccountManager in the Business-to-Business Department at Roots,coordinated the order for Fallon.

In March 1998, at the age of15, William (along with his fatherPrince Charles and his brotherHarry) visited Vancouver beforevacationing in Whistler. Theprinces, as seen here, displayedpublic joy for the first time sincethe August death of Diana. As partof the visit, the Canadian govern-ment invited Roots Co-foundersDon Green and Michael Budmanto personally present the royalswith trendy Canadian Olympic gear

made by Roots. The gifts madefor a warm welcome indeed.

A few weeks earlier, for thefirst time, Roots was TeamCanada’s official outfitter for theNagano Winter Olympics. Theapparel proved a huge success.The royals joined a slew of othercelebrities sporting the red andwhite uniform including then-USpresident Bill Clinton, Canadiansongstress Sarah McLachlan,and actress Rosie O’Donnell.

Princes William,Charles and Harryin Vancouver get intotheir Roots in 1998

WRITE ON!The Source wants to hear

from youIf you have any ideas for future arti-cles in The Source, please contactus. Even better, if you would like towrite for The Source, let us know. We welcome your involvementand look forward to hearing from you.Write to us at [email protected]

Jimmy Fallon on set of Late Night


STARTING LINEUPIntroducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

We often receive unsolicitedphotos from people eager toshow us pictures of their chil-

dren, cousins, grandchildren, or evenpets, wearing Roots. Sometimes thesenders ask if we can use the photos ina future advertising campaign. We can’tpromise that, but we are certainly happyto publish them in The Source.

Everyone is welcome to submit theirfavourite shots to be considered forpublication. Please send your pictures [email protected].

Be sure to include the name and ageof each child or pet in the photo, where itwas taken, place of residence and asentence stating that you agree for thephotos to be used in The Source.

GREEN TIP #63Easy ways to help theenvironment

GOLITTERLESSAT LUNCH:In our fast-pacedsociety, it’seasy to turnto pre-packaged,ready-to-eatconvenience

food at lunchtime. For all of itsconvenience, however, such fareis no great ally of your health orthe environment. With a bit ofplanning and preparation, lunchcan be both nutritional andenvironmentally friendly. A singlepre-packed lunch often containswaste such as wrappings,baggies, aluminum foil andplastic wrap, all of which createunnecessary litter.

Decreasing the amount oflitter is simple. Start by eliminat-ing the use of paper or plasticlunch bags, paper napkins,product wrapping and containers,plastic utensils, plastic waterbottles and juice boxes. Instead,replace these items with thefollowing:• Reusable lunch bag• Glass or stainless steelcontainers• Reusable utensils• Stainless steel thermos forcoffee, water or juice• Cloth napkins

Another strategy to reducewaste is buying in bulk, whicheliminates individual packagingand is cost efficient. For instance,try buying yogurt in bulk insteadof in individual packages andseparate servings into smaller,reusable containers.

The logic behind goinglitterless is to eat or take homeeverything you brought for lunch.By using these simple tips, youcan help decrease your carbonfootprint.• Source: www.aboutmyplanet.com/category/daily-green-tips/

Jerilyn Lakins, 6 months and brotherGibson, 22 months, Kingston, ON

Gregory Truong,3 years,Mississauga, ON

As part of our continuing series of team pictures from the Roots retail family, this issue of The Source isspotlighting the Devonshire Mall store in Windsor, Ontario. Back row, left to right: Edith Bautista, Zak Owen,Chris Crowe-Campeau, Beth Walker and Jessica Hancock. Front row, left to right: Allison Frankowski, MichelleLabute and Chelsey Frye. Missing in photo: Durwin Boler, Amanda LaFrance and Sherin Pennickara.

Alyssa Victoria Gee,8 months, London, ON


MUSICAL ROOTS

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

ROOTS RADIORECOMMENDSA guide to the top songs ofof 2010

For this issue’s Chef’s Corner,we present a recipe for

making Potato and BeanEnchiladas.

INGREDIENTS:½ pound potatoes, peeled anddiced½ teaspoon cumin½ teaspoon chili powder½ teaspoon salt1-½ teaspoons ketchup½ pound fresh tomatillos, husksremoved½ large onion, chopped½ bunch fresh cilantro, coarselychopped, divided1 (12 ounce) package corn

tortilla½ (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans,drained½ (12 ounce) package quesofrescooil for frying

DIRECTIONS:1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.In a bowl, toss diced potatoestogether with cumin, chili powder,salt and ketchup, and place in anoiled baking dish. Bake in thepreheated oven for 20 to 25minutes, or until tender.2. Meanwhile, boil tomatillos andchopped onion in water to coverfor 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Once cooled, puree with half of thecilantro until smooth.3. Fry tortillas individually in a smallamount of hot oil until soft.4. Mix potatoes together with pintobeans, ½ cheese and ½ cilantro.Fill tortillas with potato mixture, androll up. Place seam side down inan oiled 9x13-inch baking dish.Spoon tomatillo sauce overenchiladas, and spread remainingcheese over sauce. Bake for 20minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Prep time: 1 hourCook time: 45 min.Servings: 6Source: www.allrecipes.com

Bruno Mars had much tocelebrate on New Year’sEve after a year full of

achievements, and much promiseof more success in 2011. Hissecond single reached thenumber one spot on Billboard’sTop 100 in lateDecember. Hishit song“Grenade”bumped KatyPerry’s“Firework”down tonumber twoleaving himecstatic. This iswhat hetweeted aboutthe good news:“Grenade is the#1 song in the country thanks toyou guys! What a way to end myyear. Thank you all for givingme the greatest year of my life!”

Though he only recently

Bruno Mars makes an astronomical impression on the music scene

started out as a soloist, Mars isno stranger to the top of thecharts. In 2009, he co-wrote FloRida’s hit song “Right Round.”A year later, he collaborated withrapper B.o.B on “Nothin’ onYou” and co-wrote Travis

McCoy’s“Billionaire.”Both songsbecame Top10 hits. Usingthat momen-tum to launchhis career,Mars quicklybecame thefirst malevocalist intwo decadesto crack theTop 10 with

his first four singles. He is alsothe first artist to have his firsttwo singles reach number onesince Sean “Diddy” Combs in1997 when he was known as

1. Forget You – Cee Lo2. What’s My Name –Rihanna Feat. Drake3. I Got A Feeling – BlackEyed Peas4. Imagine – John Lennon5. What’s Going On – MarvinGaye

Puff Daddy.Born Peter Hernandez in

1985 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Marsbegan performing at the age offour by fronting his uncle’s band,becoming Oahu’s youngest Elvisimpersonator in the process.“Everybody in my family sings,”says Mars. “My uncle’s anincredible guitar player, mydad’s an incredible percussionist,my brother’s a great drummer.I’ve just been surrounded bymusic.”

When he was 14, Mars wasimpersonating the King of Pop,Michael Jackson, as part of the“Legends in Concert” tributeshow. Fittingly, the U.S. NationalPublic Radio (NPR) recentlydubbed Mars “the new Prince ofPop” due to his explosiveentrance onto the music scene.

After graduating from highschool in 2003, he took hisuncle’s advice and moved toCalifornia to pursue a musiccareer. After months of frustra-tion, he met songwriter PhillipLawrence who convinced Marsto try his hand at writing songsfor other artists. The two calledthemselves “The Smeezingtons”and co-wrote “Long Distance,”which was recorded in 2008 byR&B singer Brandy. Moreoffers followed, and Mars andLawrence scored their firstnumber one hit together with FloRida’s international smash“Right Round.”

For someone who justdropped his first full-lengthalbum – Doo-Wops and Hooli-gans – in 2010, Mars has

already gained a great deal ofrecognition. Mars is sure tofurther solidify his place in theworld of music this year as hehas been nominated for seven2011 Grammy Awards.

- Daven Bujalski• Listen to Roots Radio to hearmusic from Bruno Mars

Mars got his big break as asongwriter for other artists

Mars’ first full-length album,Doo-Wops and Hooligans

Mars’ first four singlesreached the Top 10


Documents

Jan / Feb 2011