summer 2010

Issue 96 - Summer 2010 The Source • 1

A window into the world of Roots Issue 96 • Summer 2010

ROOTS AND CANADA GO

ELECTRICWith his creative take on Canada, visual artistDouglas Coupland joins forces with Roots tocreate a bold new collection arriving instores in early July

Roots is generallythought of as acoustic,and this collection is

electric

2 • The Source Issue 96 - Summer 2010

DepartmentsFINE PRINT

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

STAYING POWER

GREEN TIPS

HEALTH TIPS

SPECIAL DELIVERYA selection of recent letters from the world of Roots

I N S I D EI S S U E 9 6

EXPRESS YOURSELFWe invite you to send us yourletters and/or your most crea-tive photos or illustrations forpublication in The Source.Please send your submissionsto [email protected]

PublishersMICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN

EditorROBERT SARNER

Editorial AssistantCAROLINE IWANOWSKI

InternsNADIA MALIK

ASHLEY TRAVASSOSALIX KEMPF

The Source is published by Roots CanadaLtd. We welcome letters from readers forpublication. Please address allcorrespondence to The Source, Lettersto 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

HUNTING THE PERECT COATThis is to let you know that oneof your sales staff deserves apositive pat on the back. Hername is Susan van Dalen andshe works at your store inKanata, in the west part ofOttawa.

I’d been searching for a new“car” coat for the last couple ofyears and when I saw theWomen’s City Coat at theOshawa Mall, I loved it at firstsight.

I wanted the Purple Seed inXL but the store did not carry it.I told them I’d look once I gotback home to Kingston.

When I called the Kingstonstore, they did not have the coatbut gave me the number to theKanata store. I called there andexplained my dilemma to Susanwho promptly located the coat inthe system and had it sent toyour Kingston store. I tried it on,it fit well and I decided topurchase it.

I love my new coat but mostimportantly, I loved the greatcustomer care I received.Laura ClarkKingston, Ontario

THAT EXTRA TOUCHEarlier today, we made a numberof purchases for our family atyour store in the BayviewShopping Centre in Toronto. We

were particularly appreciative ofthe time and advice we receivedfrom Linda Kirshenblat. Shewas very caring, friendly andrelated well to us. I also appreci-ated that it was not complicatedto arrange separate bills for eachpurchase in case any of the itemswere to be returned.

It was a great experienceshopping in this store and wewill definitely return in the nearfuture.Eleanor and Frank AddisonToronto

OLYMPIC HELPFor many years, I’ve been goingto the Roots store in Kelowna,BC and have always been happywith the service I receive thereas the staff are friendly andattentive.

Before the Olympics, I wentthere to pick up as much Cana-dian apparel as possible. As theCanada Collection By Roots wasselling much faster than antici-pated, the store didn’t have thesizes or colours we wanted.Fortunately, Marie Dakinassisted us and was able to shipitems to Kelowna by calling astore in Vancouver.

A big group of us washeading to the Olympics togetherand we wanted to match entirely,and without Marie’s help, wewouldn’t have accomplished

this. She went above and beyondthe call of duty numerous times.

Marie is always upbeat andreally cared that we left her storehappy. She is outstanding at herjob and amazing with customers.Please send her a warm thankyou on our behalf.Ned and Barb HildebrandKelowna, BC

STRONG ROOTSI was nearly run over by a caryesterday while walking in aparking lot of a local shoppingcentre. A parked car backed outand the driver failed to noticethat I was walking nearby. Toavoid being hit, I threw myselfout of the way, but my leatherRoots bag didn’t make it as faras I did, and was run over by thecar.

To my surprise, the bag wasvirtually unscathed and doesn’teven have a mark on it. Remark-ably, it survived totally intact.Amazing!Sharon S. (Asked that her surnamebe omitted)Toronto

GREAT STYLE AND AGOOD CONSCIENCENew collection of jewelryproves that natural, sustain-able products aren’t onlysmart but also stylish

SPRING FORWARDSeason of sunshine andlonger days ushers in newand renovated stores acrossthe country

IN THE SPOTLIGHTRoots wins Rookie of the YearAward for social commerceinitiatives

THE ARTFUL TOUCHFlagship store hosts exhibi-tion by Charles Pachter

A SIGN OF GRATITUDECanadian Red Crossdelegation comes to HeadOffice to say “thanks”

CHATTING UP THE ARTSFor a second year in a row,Roots hosts LuminatoLunchtime Conversations

STYLISH IN HIGH PLACESRoots makes its presence feltat G8 and G20 Summits

Olympic Gold MedalistsScott Moir and Tessa Virtuelink arms for Canada


ROOTS AND CANADAGO ELECTRIC

Famed 19th century Frenchfashion designer PaulPoiret once said, “I havealways liked painters. It

seems to me that we are in thesame trade and that they are mycolleagues.”

Art has long providedinspiration for fashion and it wascertainly the driving forcebehind the latest collection fromRoots. The company partneredwith renowned Canadian artistand writer Douglas Coupland tocreate “Roots x DouglasCoupland.”

“For more than 10 years, I’vebeen intimately exploring what itmeans to be Canadian,” saysDouglas, 48. “This partnershipwith Roots is an amazingopportunity to keep that dialoguegoing with an even wider, morediverse audience.”

The theme for the collection,which Douglas named “Canadagoes Electric,” was inspired byhow he sees the Canadian naturallandscape as being definedelectronically through broadcastsignals, transmissions, testpatterns and radio waves.

“The idea [behind the theme]was a way of looking at Canadaas a nation with a convivialsense of itself and the need tocommunicate across wideexpanses of land,” says Douglas.“The wonderful way of that purecommunication and its emblemsseem like a natural fit in terms ofdefining the country.”

The ‘x’ in Roots x DouglasCoupland is a nod to ‘GenerationX’, the term Douglas famouslycoined in his first novel, Genera-tion X: Tales of an AcceleratedCulture, published in 1991.Since then, he has published 12novels including Microserfs andAll Families are Psychotic alongwith several non-fiction workssuch as Souvenir of Canada andTerry: The Life of Terry Fox.

While the new collection,which hits stores on July 8, is adeparture from the nature-

inspired offerings Roots is mostknown for, it’s a logical exten-sion for the artist.

“Roots does the outdoorsyversion of Canada, and I workmore on the indoorsy version,”says Douglas. “It’s simply a wayof changing the focus and thedirection.”

Douglas describes the line as“young and Pop” and hopes itwill appeal to “young Poppeople who look forward to agood future.”

Roots co-founder DonGreen is enthusiastic about theline and thinks it will appeal to adifferent demographic than thetraditional Roots customer.

“For the first time in ourhistory, we stepped back and leftthe design to an outside de-signer,” Don explains. “Visuallythe collection is strong butbeyond that, Douglas Couplandhas once again shown histrademark humour and brilliancein exploring a new medium, inthis case fashion. He has putforth a hopeful and positivemessage about this great countryof ours and the results areimpressive.”

Roots x Douglas Couplandrepresents the first time Douglashas designed a clothing collec-tion. His experience as a visualartist prepared him well.

“For me, the clothing is anart project that takes the form ofclothes,” says Douglas, who isbased in Vancouver. “I’ve neverreally seen too much differencebetween writing or makingvisual art or designing furnitureor clothing. It’s still my brain –I’m just using different parts of itfor different things.”

The collection – for men,women and children – includesmainstays such as T-shirts,hoodies, dresses and leathergoods, all designed with the“Canada goes electric” theme inmind (see page 5 for photos ofitems from the line).

Collaboration with Douglas Coupland marks a bold new dimension to the work ofRoots and the internationally acclaimed visual artist and writer. By NADIA MALIK

“For me, the clothing is anart project that takes theform of clothes. I’ve never

really seen too muchdifference between writing

or making visual art ordesigning furniture or

clothing. It’s still my brain— I’m just using different

parts of it for differentthings.” - Douglas Coupland

Continued on next page

Highlights of the Pop inspired collection include tank tops and T-shirtsbearing the Douglas Coupland’s signature


A MAN OF MANY TALENTSDouglas Coupland’s creativity crosses different media

Born December 20, 1961 ona Canadian military base in

Germany, Douglas Couplandmoved to Vancouver at the ageof four, where he currentlyresides.

He graduated from theEmily Carr College of Art &Design and successfully kepthis career as a visual artist and

a designer in tangent with hiswriting. His artwork has travelledto exhibitions in North America,Europe and Asia. In his soloexhibition, “Mom and Dad,” heuses his personal family experi-ence and his decades workingwithin the pop culture arena tocompile a set of works thatrenegotiate his ongoing fascina-tion with Andy Warhol.

He is perhaps best known forcoining the term ‘Generation X’ inhis book, Generation X: Tales ofan Accelerated Culture. He hasalso written screenplays for filmand television.

Through his creative work,Douglas has redefined theCanadian identity, images andiconography in a contemporarycontext, making him a culturalauthority and a pop culture leaderwho crosses several forms ofmedia.

The collection combinesDouglas Coupland’svision of Canada withclassic Roots AwardsJacket and T-shirtdesigns

Continued from previous pageOne of the highlights of the

line is a silver leather “Centen-nial” jacket with patches inspiredby pop culture and large chromestuds. Customers can even havethe jacket signed by Douglashimself. In an homage to theyear Roots was founded, thejacket is priced at $1,973.

Describing his own personalsense of style as “no nonsense,”his favourite piece in the collec-tion is the long-sleeve black T-shirt with a motherboard squareon the front.

“It’s my favourite shirt of alltime,” he says. “I’m buying 12and never thinking aboutdressing myself ever again.”

Women’s clothing proved tobe a learning experience forDouglas, given that they havemany more ways to dress ascompared to men.

“It’s been a revelation towatch women approach thelayering Tees and the way theirintrinsic looseness, combinedwith the organic line quality ofmy signature [which appearsprominently on several pieces],make them see their bodies asmore fluid in ways that guyssimply have no equivalent for.”

Douglas’ creative freedomwhen designing the collectionwas balanced with the realities ofclothing production.

“At first, I was allowed toallow ideas to percolate withoutcensure, and that’s important,and I’m thankful for that,” hesays. “But I quickly learned thesorts of ‘rules of the game’(factories; shipping; corporatehistory), which made thingsoddly more fun.”

There were plenty of sur-prises for Douglas during thedesign and technical process,particularly the number ofpeople involved and the amountof planning that goes into eventhe smallest change in a garment.

“This isn’t a complaint but aform of rejoicing,” says Douglas.“I spend so much of my life inmy head. Being able to have acrew of people to work with hasbeen a remarkable plus in my

life.”Co-founder Michael

Budman appreciates the com-plementary nature of the line tothe overall world of Roots.

“Roots is generally thoughtof as acoustic, and this project iselectric,” says Michael. Hedescribes the line as, “Pop art.Contemporary, colourful,futuristic and very energetic.”

In late June, Douglas pre-miered the collection at ideaCity,a three-day conference held inToronto that attracts leadingthinkers from around the world.

Chris Nanos, of the RadkeFilm Group, worked closely withDouglas and Roots on the line.

“This project was an excitingcollaboration,” says Chris.“Douglas brought his uniqueperspective of creativity andRoots brought its well-knowntradition for quality and crafts-manship. I’m most pleased theend results are balanced, makingthe experience equally new forboth Douglas and Roots.”

Roots x Douglas Couplandwill be available in select storesand online. In late June, Roots

gave its Facebook fans firstaccess to the collection online,allowing them to browse andpre-purchase select items.Shortly after, the company

launched the micrositewww.roots.com/douglascoupland to showcasethe partnership. The siteincludes a captivating video ofDouglas discussing his inspira-tion, created by filmmakerAnthony Green.

Customers can also shop thecollection at pop-up stores inVancouver (36 Powell Street)and in Toronto (680 QueenStreet W.).

When asked if he seeshimself designing more cloth-ing in the future, Douglasresponds, “If clothing will haveme. I’ve loved every moment ofthis.” - N.M.


RootsxCoupland AwardJacket, Royal, $598

DC Collector T-Shirt, Black, $40

DC Full ZipHoody, Saltand Pepper,$98

Travel Kit Electric Printed Lancaster, $38

DC Kanga Hoody,Black, $108

SignatureTank,Aqua, $30

DC GrassrootsHoody, MiamiPink, $98

DC TestPatternChe Cap,Black,$30

DC SignatureT-Shirt,King Blue,$40

MotherboardLegging,Black, $42

DC SignatureSweatpant, Salt andPepper, $72

DC Polo,Red Alert,$68

DC TestPatternScarf, $38

DC Crest Messenger Bag, Black, $58


With the warm weatherupon us, flowers are notthe only things bloom-

ing this spring. Recently, Rootshas been busy expanding itsretail operations by opening newstores and refreshing older ones.

In mid-April, Roots inaugu-rated its latest Toronto store withthe opening of a new retaillocation in the Shops at Don

Mills. The mall is Ontario’s firstoutdoor lifestyle centre, makingit the perfect fit for Roots. Basedon a new design concept, andbuilt with old barn wood re-claimed from Ontario farms, thestore features upper visuals ofRoots products in the making,such as photographs taken at theleather factory, to give customersa sense of where the merchan-

dise comesfrom. Manydecorativeaccessories suchas lanterns,suitcases andeven an oldbicycle sus-pended on theback wall,complete therustic look.

In otherrelated retaildevelopments,

the Polo Park store in Winnipegand the Masonville store inLondon, Ontario re-opened inlate April, each featuring an openconcept. Both stores carry men’s,women’s, leather, yoga and baby.

In southern Ontario, theNewmarket store opened in lateMarch after relocating in thecity’s main mall. Designed tohave a boutique quality feel,

SPRING FORWARDSeason of sunshine and longer days ushers in new and renovated stores across the country

While most customersknow Roots for itstrademark sweats and

leather goods, it’s fast becominga destination for a wide range ofstylish apparel and accessoriesincluding jewelry with aninternational flair.

Launched in May, selectstores are carrying a newcollection of natural seedjewelry made by artisans inColombia. The line includesbeautiful necklaces, braceletsand earrings created usingcolourful, polished seedssourced from the region’srainforests.

While the collection may benew to most Canadians, artisansin South America have beencrafting jewelry from tropicalseeds for generations.

In keeping with the corevalues of Roots, the jewelry isboth environmentally andsocially sustainable. The tropicalseeds are a renewable resourceharvested from native trees andshrubs. The use of seeds injewelry is respectful of natureand fosters financial independ-ence for artisans while helpingpreserve a traditional craft.

The jewelry’sproducers, a group ofwomen inCampohermoso,Colombia, work out ofa small facility in theAndes. The jewelryprovides them withmuch-needed incomeand a sense of empow-erment that comes fromrunning their ownbusiness.

“Wearing seedjewelry crafted bySouth American womenworking for themselvesis a symbol of responsi-ble living,” says RussellTrenholme, co-founder of theCampohermoso HandicraftProject. “It sends a message ofsimplicity, responsibility andoneness with the living world.”

Closer to home, the latestjewelry collection from Toronto-based designer Cathy Belzbergis now in select Roots stores. Along-time friend and collaboratorof Roots, Cathy made the lineexclusively for the company withits design aesthetic in mind. Thenecklaces, bracelets and earringsare made of leather and pearl

andhandcrafted inToronto,inspired by hertravels toIsrael, Mo-rocco, Europeand St. Barts.After seeing what the world hasto offer, she liked the idea oflaunching a style of jewelry newto Canada.

“We designed a line that isboth natural and fashionable,”says Rebecca Winton of CathyB Jewelry. “We choose materials

where each department has thefeel of a shop within a shop, thislocation carries leather, wom-en’s, men’s, yoga, baby andshoes, and has a designatedfitting room for the men’sdepartment.

The store also features theFamily Table, made of largereclaimed wood, placed near theentrance. It’s available for salefor $3,500 and will be featuredin many upcoming locations.

Out east in Nova Scotia, anew store opened in the HalifaxShopping Centre in late March.Previously an outlet store, it’snow in a different area of themall, carrying men’s, women’sand leather.

In early March in Montreal,the Rockland store re-openedafter renovations. Modeled like asmall boutique, the store carriesleather goods and women’sapparel.

we knew thecustomercould wearwhether in thecity cottage.”

Other newadditions tothe selection

of accessories at Roots include adelicate burnished silver collec-tion, perfect for dressing up asimple white T-shirt. Made forsummer by Roots licensee theGarbo Group, it includes flowerand key motifs which are must-have items this season.

ACCESSORIZING WITH GREAT STYLE AND A GOOD CONSCIENCENew collection of jewelry proves that natural, sustainable products aren’t only smart but also stylish

Jewelry made of polished seeds from the Colombian rainforest. (Below) Pearland leather jewelry designed for Roots by Toronto-based Cathy B Jewelry

New Roots store in the Shops at Don Mills (Toronto)


If you’ve visitedwww.roots.com recently orhave Roots as a friend on

Facebook or follow it on Twitter,then you already know thecompany has been doing a lot ofwork with social commerce. It’sclearly not going unnoticed, as

Roots recently received anaward for its work in the field.

The industry award, calledRookie of the Year for Retail,highlighted Roots attaining ameasurable increase in sales,conversion rates, time on site,and improved ranking in search

engine results.Given out in April, the

recognition was part of theSocial Commerce Awards hostedby Bazaarvoice, a Texas-basedtechnology company specializ-ing in hosted social commerceapplications that are designed todrive sales.

Roots efforts in socialcommerce with Bazaarvoicebegan a year ago, when itlaunched a social commerceplatform on its website thatenables customers to easilyconnect and communicate witheach other about Roots productsand the brand directly on thesite.

This allows shoppers to sharetheir experiences, post photos,review their favourite products,and ask questions to othermembers of the Roots commu-nity. Roots is also using cus-tomer feedback and experiencesto evaluate product design,improve merchandising, andcreate relevant marketingcommunications.

“Our customers have a very

Roots wins Rookie of the Year Award for social commerce initiativesIN THE SPOTLIGHT

strong emotional tie to Roots,”says James Connell, Sr. Direc-tor, eCommerce, Digital Market-ing and New Media at Roots.“We receive hundreds of letters,emails and photos from ourcustomers every day. Socialcommerce allows us to tap intothat passion in a way that can beshared with the broader Rootscommunity, as well as our staff.By creating a place for consum-ers to chronicle their experi-ences, we are building a robustcommunity that is stronglyengaged with our brand. We arealso able to use very specificfeedback to improve corebusiness functions like market-ing, merchandising, and cus-tomer service.”

Other categories and winnersof Social Commerce Awardsincluded: Customer OxygenAward: Dell; Social CommercePlay of the Year: Samsung;Social Commerce Rockstar:Nike; Social Commerce MVP:Best Buy Co., Inc.; and Rookieof the Year: Blue Shield ofCalifornia.

Over the years, Roots hasdesigned customizedleather products for a wide

range of products, includingelectronic devices. New tech-nologies call for new accesso-ries, and eReaders are noexception. Users of the recentlylaunched Kobo can now covertheir eReaders in style.

Roots has designed a sleekleather cover for the device,available in Chapters and Indigostores across the country.Customers can choose fromvarious colours, including black,turquoise, orange, purple andred. All covers have the Kobologo embroidered in ecru on the

Stylish leather cover for innovative new eReaderlatest collaboration between Roots and Indigo

WAY TO GO KOBO

front and the Roots logo hot-stamped on the back. Made withPrince leather at the Rootsfactory in Toronto, the cover hasan easy access opening andincludes a cushioned lining foradded protection.

The Kobo holds up to 1,000titles, all available at the touchof a button. Unlike traditionalcomputer screens, the devicesuse an E Ink screen that simu-lates the appearance of print onpaper, minimizing eye strain.

Launched by Indigo in May,the Kobo eReader is sold atIndigo, Chapters, select ColesBookstores, Walmart and onlineat chapters.indigo.ca.

BRAIN STORMSharp minds give way to great ideas at annualconference in Toronto of which Roots is a sponsor

James Connell and Tanja Zelko of Roots accept award from Brett Hurt, Founder/ CEO of Bazaarvoice

Inspired discourse and brightideas filled the air in Torontoin June when 51 of the

planet’s brightest minds cametogether toconverseand providefood forthought. Theeclecticgatheringwas part of

the 10th annual Idea City confer-ence, sometimes referred to as‘Canada’s premieremeeting of the minds,’where only 700 indi-viduals were privilegedto attend.

A longtime sponsorof the three-day event,Roots provided customdesigned leather bags forall of the speakers whichincluded Canadian literary iconMargaret Atwood; GrammyAward-winning singer JudyCollins; and acclaimed trend

expert FaithPopcorn. Allthe presentersthis year werewomen exceptfor Canadianartist/writerDouglasCoupland,who shed light on his newCanada Goes Electric collectionfor Roots.

Among the other 47 present-ers were artists, adventurers,

authors, cosmologists,doctors, designers,entertainers, filmmak-ers, inventors, magi-cians, musicians,scientists and technolo-gists.

In keeping withwhat is now an annual

tradition, longtime friend ofRoots and media visionary,Moses Znaimer, who launchedIdea City in 2000, produced andhosted this year’s conference.

Judy Collins

Margaret Atwood

Faith Popcorn


Easy ways to help theenvironment

GREEN TIP #60

SOME-THING TOCHEW ON:It’s beenstuck on thesole of yourshoe, under

your desk or caught in yourhair. Everyone has seen it and,unfortunately, some havestepped in it, or even worse,touched it. Chewing gum, ormore specifically discardedchewing gum, is not only aproblem for the averageperson, but is increasinglybecoming a problem for theenvironment.

The main trouble is that it’snon-biodegradable and willstick to a surface for years untiltreated. Many of the chemicalsused to rid a surface of gumtravel down the drains and runinto our water system.

In addition, chewing gum isnot digestible by humans oranimals. Birds, especiallyyoung ones, sometimes die byeating chewing gum.

Such is the scourge of gumthat, second to cigarette butts,it’s the most commonly littereditem the in the world. So, thinktwice before reaching for astick of gum next time youneed to freshen your breath.Try an organic mint, or eatsome parsley or fennel seeds.Or, if you just like to chompdown on something, trychewing on licorice root.• Source: www.gumraps.com/

Roots is giving cell phones awhole new twist, andeven a whole new look.

Beginning in late April, Rootsintroduced a chic new way to useyour mobile phone at home,office and on the street – theYubz Talk MobileRetro Handset.

An innovativedevice for use withmobile phones andUSB ports for laptopsfor internet-basedcommunication, it hasa one-touch button tomake answeringincoming calls easy.

Available in eightcolours (including FloridaOrange, Sky Blue and ChalkPink), it reduces radiationemitted from mobile phones by95%. It also has digital enhance-ment to decrease background

A GOOD CALLYubz Retro Handset makes its debut in Canada

noise and upgrade sound quality.With the mobile phone craze,this gadget is ideal for peoplewho don’t have landlines butwant to have the feel of astandard size phone at home oroffice.

As the exclusive distributorin Canada of the Yubz TalkMobile Retro Handset, Roots isnow selling the gadget in selectretail stores and online for$59.95.

Flagship store hosts exhibition by Charles PachterTHE ARTFUL TOUCH

In keeping with its predilectionto entertain and hold specialevents, it’s little surprise that

Roots welcomed comedian andTV talk show host ConanO’Brien to Toronto during hisrecent visit. As an old friend ofRoots, there wasall the morereason to helpConan celebratethe successes ofhis new stageshow currentlytouring in NorthAmerica.

Held atSassafraz, in theYorkville districtof Toronto, Rootsorganized an afterparty for Conanfollowing his liveshow at MassyHall in late May. The perform-ance was part of his 30-city tourcalled Conan O’Brien: LegallyProhibited from Being Funny onTelevision. It was prompted inpart by the recent NBC “late-night” war between Conan andJay Leno that ended the former’sshort-lived Late Night withConan O’Brien TV show.

Roots celebrates with Conan O’Brien during hisrecent visit to Toronto as part of his current tour

WELCOMING BACK A FRIEND

Many celebrities and friendsof Roots attended the after party,including Conan’s cast and crew,Andy Richter, actor/writer; JianGhomeshi, National Postcolumnist; GeorgeStroumboulopoulos, host of

CBC’s TheHour; and manyothers. AionClarke and theSoul Providersalso performedfor the wholegroup.

The friend-ship betweenRoots andConan datesback manyyears. In thepast, Roots hascreated custom-ized merchan-

dise for his shows. In February2004, Conan did a weeklongseries of broadcasts fromToronto for which Roots helpedorganize and host several specialevents and after parties forConan and his cast. He alsoattended a dinner at Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman’shome.

Museums and art galleriesare no longer the solevenue for art lovers.

They can now enjoy browsingthrough fine art while shoppingfor leather goods and lifestyleapparel at the Roots flagship

location in Toronto.In June, the Bloor Street

store brought the worlds of artand fashion together when itexhibited the work of prominentCanadian artist Charles Pachter.Hosted in the Algonquin Loungeon the upper level, the exhibitfeatured ten paintings, 20graphics and three metal sculp-tures that covered Pachter’s 45-year career. Like Roots, Pachteris big on Canada. He’s famousfor using Canadian icons assubjects for his art, includingmoose, the national flag and thecountry’s head of state QueenElizabeth.

Applying a humorous,whimsical approach to his art, hehas paired Canada’s ballet starKaren Kain, and even a salutingQueen, with a moose. Hiscomical paintings have also lentthemselves well to children’sbooks, such as M is for Mooseand Canada Counts, both ofwhich were on sale at the show.

Pachter took part in theofficial inauguration of themonth-long exhibition at anevening reception at the store.The event attracted 150 guestsincluding members of Toronto’scultural scene.

This year, Pachter designedT-shirts for Toronto’s annualLuminato arts festival, whichwere also sold at the Bloor Streetstore.

Based in Toronto, Pachter isalso a printmaker, sculptor,designer, historian and lecturer.His paintings hang in theToronto Stock Exchange and inthe Canadian Parliament Build-ings in Ottawa. The Collegesubway station in Torontodisplays his murals entitledHockey Knights in Canada.

Artist Charles Pachter and his design for limited edition poster for2010 Luminato Festival

Conan O’Brien, Aion Clarke andMichael Budman at Sassafraz


FINE PRINT

Here are somerecent sightingsof Roots in thepages ofnewspapers andmagazines:

A selection of coverageof Roots in the media

LEATHER FACTORY SHOWS ITS STUFFMembers of the fashion media get sneak peak at Fall 2010 collection

“Not what we give, but what weshare, for the gift without thegiver is bare.”

Such is the way JamesRussell Lowell, an Ameri-can poet of the 1800s,

expressed the importance ofgiving. More recently, Roots andthe Canadian Red Cross (CRC)came together to bring thesewords to life.

Following the major earth-quake that ravaged Haiti thispast winter, Roots sent an appealto its staff to contribute to a‘Roots Cares’ fundraisinginitiative for relief efforts in thedevastated Caribbean nation inconjunction with the CRC.

The number of employeeswho participated and the totalamount raised far surpassed thecompany’s expectation. The finaltotal, including a match by Rootsand the Canadian government,was close to $80,000, all ofwhich went to the CRC insupport of much-needed humani-tarian work in Haiti.

In May, a CRC delegationvisited the Roots head office inToronto to express their grati-tude. Diana Borowski, Directorof Fund Development, and Dr.

Canadian Red Cross delegation comes to Head Office to say “thanks”A SIGN OF GRATITUDE

Christine Wong, a Toronto-based physician, also updatedstaff on the situation in Haiti. Dr.Wong, who was deployed thereby the CRC as part of its emer-gency response to the disaster,spoke specifically about herexperience working at the largestfield hospital in Port-au-Prince.

In appreciation of thecompany’s support, Diana andChristine presented a framedplaque to Roots Co-Founders

Don Green and MichaelBudman, asking that it beplaced where all staff could bereminded of their contribution.

Roots has long enjoyed apositive relationship with theCRC. On several occasions inthe past, the company has raisedfunds for their humanitarianwork following previous disas-ters, including a number ofhurricanes in the Caribbean andthe 2004 tsunami in Asia.

• Ottawa Citizen, June 26. Spotlighton Roots and Canada Day.• Marketing Magazine, June 14. Storyon new RootsxDouglas CouplandCollection.• Globe and Mail, June 14. Spotlighton hoodie from Canada DayCollection.• Toronto Life, June. Column entitled“Fake Rivalries” discusses Rootscollaborations with Douglas Couplandand Charles Pachter respectively.• Gaitpost, June. Spotlight on RootsEquestrian Jersey Polos.• Chatelaine, June. The Luisa Bag inawarded magazine’s first ever “Bag ofthe Month” while the Lola Bag in bluesuede was included in a contest. Thezipper coin wallet.• Globe and Mail, June 11. Interviewwith Douglas Coupland announcingthe launch of RootsxDouglasCoupland.• Loulou, June. Feature on Roots“Teeny-Tiny” bags including BraceletClutch in blush, Mini Cargo in aquaand Ali Pouch in rustler. Nylon tote,Ladies Jazzed yellow watch and Islasilk dress in grape also spotlighted.• Flare, June. Toronto hip-hop MC/producer JDiggz featured wearing aGretzky Canada Jacket.• Elle Canada, June. Spotlight onMegan Bag.• Toronto Star, May 29. WorldCollection is mentioned in “World Cupfrenzy kicks off.”• National Post, May 29. Mini SoftSaddle in sand rustler appeared in“Style Quarterly – Speaking ofSummer.”• Toronto Star, May 8. The MeganBag in blush appeared in a Mother’sDay feature.• Fashion, May 5. The Kiltie Bag in redis highlighted as part of “The dailysteal” featuring cross-body bags.• Flare, May. Disco Pouch in lavenderfeatured in the latest issue.• Beauty Geeks, May 4. Spotlight onDisco Pouch in blush.• Men’s Fashion, May. CanvasMessenger Bag featured.• Real Life Runway, May. Yubzhandset featured in post entitled“Fashion for your Phone.”• Globe and Mail, Apr 29. Articlementions Roots partnership withCanadian Olympic Gold MedalistsTessa Virtue and Scott Moir.• Toronto Star, Apr 29. Storyhighlighted Tessa and Scott’spartnership with Roots.• National Post, Apr 29. Article onskating duo’s announcement at pressconference at Roots flagship store.• Toronto Sun, Apr 28. Storymentioned the partnership with Scottand Tessa.• Globe and Mail, Apr 14. Review ofConan O’Brien’s show in Vancouverincludes his joke that his new job is asassistant manager at Roots store onRobson.• Flare.com, Apr 5. Kiltie Bag featuredin “Mini Bags” article. Ali Pouchincluded in “Steal her Style” feature onactor Amanda Seyfried.• Chatelaine, May. Spotlight on BeachTote in suede and leather.

In early June, Roots hosted its bi-annual trunk show to intro-duce the fashion media to its new collection of leather goods.

Held in the newly renovated showroom at the Roots leather factoryin Toronto, style journalists got a preview of the Fall 2010 collection.It includes leather bags, shoes/boots, jackets and accessories thatwill start arriving in stores in August.

(l to r): Director of Manufacturing Suresh Dureja; Co-Founder MichaelBudman; Plant Manager Henry Kowalewski; Leather Expert KarlKowalewski; Co-Founder Don Green; Leather Coordinator Ed Cox.

(l to r): Don Green, Christine Wong, Diana Borowski and MichaelBudman with framed plaque of appreciation from the Red Cross


NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

French Tote inPrince Leather,Mykonos,$133

Catherine Tote inLux Leather,Brown, $288

Mini Soft Saddle in Rustler Leather,Sand, $118

Large Lola inPrince Leather,Truffle, $228

Pocket Tunic T-Shirt, Grey Mix, $40

Women’s Cassidy in BruschettaLeather, Black, $448

Felix Jacket, Soapstone Mix, $88

Zip Coin, Purse, Yellow, $48 5" Triple Coin Purse, Grey, $48

Calamity Jane Bagin Vintage TribeLeather withLanyard, Africa,$288

Large Hobo inPrince Leatherwith GoldHardware,White, $248

Eve Plaid Shirt, Firebrick, $58


NEW & NOTEWORTHYA guide to just-launched Roots products

Raiders Satchel in Prince Leather,Black, $298

Modern Satchel, Tan, $338

Milano Bag in Tribe Leather, $398 Student Packin PrinceLeather,Chocolate,$218

One Week Jacket in BruschettaLeather, Black, $498

New Shaving Kit in Tribe Leather, $98 Men’s Desert LinedBoot in Raging Bull,Black,$158

Bain Stripe Pique Polo, After Dark, $46

Isleeve, Mykonos, $48Cooper Plaid Poorboy Hat,Deep Mahogany, $26

Gretzky Duffle in Tribe Leather,Africa, $338


Spotlighting the top performing Roots stores in recent months in terms of their sales resultsGREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL

Market Mall store team in Calgary. (l to r): Alla Kolotey, ArashdeepSra, Ellie Zygmunt, Victoria Dillabough and Katlin James.

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

the top company store was the Square One location inMississauga, Ontario. Topping the pack in terms of companystores for April was the Market Mall location in Calgary,Alberta.

As for the Roots 73/Outlet category, the CrossIron Millsoutlet in Rockyview, Alberta took the top spot for both May andApril, making it the winning outlet for three months in a row.CrossIron Mills far surpassed other stores in terms of itspercentage over its monthly sales budgets.

Congratulations to Brenda Preston, Manager of theSquare One store, Alla Kolotey, Manager of the Market Mallstore, Trevor Chambers, Manager of the CrossIron Mills outletand to their respective teams for their exemplary performances.

Hats off to all of the other stores that surpassed their salesgoals in May and April.

Hundreds of millions ofpassionate fans, 32competing countries (from

the 204 who entered qualifica-tion) and for one much-soughtafter trophy. It all adds up toWorld Cup fever, which domi-nates life on Earth for one monthevery four years.

In early June, Roots launchedthe World Collection just beforethe tournament kicked off inSouth Africa. Based on pastsales and popularity trends, thecollection features 11 countries –Argentina, Brazil, England,France, Germany, Italy, Mexico,Netherlands, Portugal, SouthAfrica and Spain – all of whomenjoy great support, especiallyamong their respective immi-grant communities, in NorthAmerica.

Designed by Daniel Allen,Senior Designer and OliverCapistrano, Designer, the line

SCORING BIGRoots celebrates World Cup with line of outerwear

consists of tees, fleece jackets,baseball hats for women, men,baby and kids, and a polo shirtfor men.

Products featurting eight ofthe 11 countries (Spain, Portu-gal, Brazil, Italy, Netherlands,England, Argentina, SouthAfrica) are sold in all Rootsstores, while the others are inselect locations. All 11 countriesare available at roots.com

Starting in 2002, this is thethird time Roots has created aspecial line to coincide with thismammoth competition, themostly widely viewed sportingevent in the world. Thus far,Italy, England, Holland andSouth Africa lines have proventhe most popular among Rootscustomers.

However, given Canada’slargely multicultural population,all countries in the collection areselling well.

Saluting those who gothe distance

STAYING POWER

She is always there to tell uswhat to do, and more often,

what not to do. But no matterwhat she does, Roots wantedto know what your mamaalways says.

During the month of May,Roots.com held a contestonline for customers called“Mama Always Said…” Incelebration of Mothers Day,the contest challenged peopleto submit a story with picturesor upload a video that com-pleted the statement, “Mamaalways said…”

Approximately 800 people,mostly from Canada re-sponded to the call for entriesand sent in tales from theworld of motherhood.

The winner, Katrina Bradyof Calgary, Alberta submittedthe following story about hermom: “Everything was ‘waituntil.’ Wait until your fathergets home. Wait until you growup. Wait until you have kids. Ifyou could put ‘wait until’ infront of it, my mom did. Itdrove me nuts! When I beganraising my kids, I did every-thing possible to avoid thatphrase. I love my mom but shedrove me crazy!”

Katrina won two customRoots Genuine Leather Bags,valued at approximately $300each. She chose the MeganBag in Black Prince Leatherand a Michelle Bag in DenimRustler Leather.

DOING RIGHTBY MAMA

Filomena De Jesus, Leather Shoes, 35yearsLok Cheung, Leather Cutter, 35 yearsJudite Freitas, Leather Stitcher, 25yearsLisa Pilon, Keyholder, 20 yearsSherry Bishop, Keyholder, 15 yearsDuncan Carey, DC Team Leader, 15yearsJian Li Huang, Leather Jacket Cutter,15 yearsDionilde Lourenco, Leather JacketCutter, 15 yearsDavid Mollison, Account Manager, 15yearsColleen Weber, Store Manager, 15yearsDori Yesovitch, Store Manager, 15yearsChristine Crowe-Campeau, StoreManager, 10 yearsJosann Creighton-Robinson, SalesAssistant, Wholesale/B2B, 10 yearsRosa Faria, Leather Stitcher, 10 yearsMaria Sousa, Leather Stitcher, 10 yearsBrenda Westbrook, Store Manager, 10yearsShehza Behrainwala, Manager,Merchandise Planning, 5 yearsCaroline Brentnall, Technician, 5 yearsAdelina Ferrante, Sr. Mdse ManagerPlanning, 5 yearsChristine Kemp, Store Manager, 5yearsPauline Landriault, Director, StoreDevelopment, 5 yearsFabrizio Lazzaro, Senior Developer, 5yearsLi Hua Li, Leather Sewing Machine, 5yearsGui Hao Lui, Leather Sewing Machine,5 yearsElizabeth Masih, Leather Table Work, 5yearsNathalie Massicotte, Store Manager, 5yearsElizabeth Mayne, Keyholder, 5 yearsRhonda McLean, Assistant Manager, 5yearsHanh Nguyen, Leather SewingMachine, 5 yearsDaksha Patel, Keyholder, 5 yearsAlessandra Romeo, Keyholder, 5 yearsMarlo Saganski, Keyholder, 5 yearsMauricio Santos, District Manager, 5yearsAllison Voth, Sales Associate, 5 years

Contest pays tribute tomaternal words ofwisdom


Roots has often played hostto a variety of artisticendeavours. As part of the

company’s ongoing involvementwith Toronto’s Luminato ArtsFestival, it recently held aLunchtime Conversations seriesat the flagship store on Bloor St.,where various artists, poets and

For second year in a row, Roots hosts Luminato Lunchtime ConversationsCHATTING UP THE ARTS

artistic directorsdiscussed theircontributions tothe annual artsevent.

Now in itsfourth year,Luminato featuresa wide range oftheatre, dance,music, film,literature, visual

arts and design.Many local and international

artists participated in the ses-sions at Roots, held over a nine-day period in June. One of thehighlights was AfricadianLiterature, a discussion withCanadian poet and playwrightGeorge Clarke. Moderated by

Rinaldo Walcott, the sessionexplored African-Canadianliterature in connection withthose communities in NovaScotia and New Brunswick.

Later in the week, ChristianBarry and Anthony Black,Artistic Directors of 2b TheatreCompany, shared their insightson Homage, a play about HaydnDavies, advertising executiveturned sculptor.

The final event in the series,entitled Wish Come True Festi-val, featured Arturo Sandoval IIand Samuel Borkson, membersof the Miami-based designcollective FriendsWithYou. Theyspoke about their character-based installations focusing onfriendship and creativity.

Dedicated followers ofRoots were anything butsurprised to learn in late

June that the iconic Canadianbrand was present at the recentG8 summit held in Huntsville,Ontario and the G20 summit inToronto.

Each of the world leadersattending the two-day event inHuntsville received a Rootsleather jacket, customized withtheir respective country’s nameand national colours. Eachjacket also had personalizedembroidery; one sleeve had therespective leader’s national flagwith the Canadian flag andhockey sticks while the othersleeve had the G8 summit logo.Inspired by the Gretzky Jacketfrom this year’s Canada Collec-tion’s, the G8 jackets were madeof black Melton with Canadiandeer skin leather sleeves.

For good measure, Rootsalso included with each jacket a

Roots makes its presence felt among world leaders at G8 and G20 summitsSTYLE IN HIGH PLACES

RAPPING WITHROOTS

Stars collided when Cana-dian musical sensations

Drake and Justin Bieber linkedarms on the red carpet at theMuchMusic Video Awards inToronto, with Roots very much inevidence. It was the second timein under a week that Drakeappeared publicly in his newcustomized Roots jacket. Daysbefore, the rapper/singer showedoff his new threads during aninterview on BET (Black Enter-tainment Television). Photos ofDrake in his Roots jacket werewidely circulated on the internetand appeared in major mediapublications.

Drake had the jacket custommade at the Roots leather factoryafter admiring a Gretzky Jacketworn by the son of co-founderMichael Budman during a recentmeeting at Trattoria Sotto Sotto inToronto. Roots designerspersonalized the front of the allblack jacket for Drake byembroidering the words ‘Octo-ber’s Very Own,’ a reference tothe month of his birth, ‘Thank MeLater,’ the name of his chart-topping debut studio album, and“So Far Gone,’ the mixtape thatlaunched his singing career.Drake loves the jacket so muchthat he made it his official tourgear.

Drake knows what he likes

(l to r): Trevor Davies, Anthony Black and Christian Barrydiscuss Homage, a play based on life of Haydn Davies

Drake in custom made jacket

Roots Awards Jacket presented to JapanesePrime Minster at G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario

Michael Budman addressesinternational media in Washington

special G8 Summit24 Hour Bag. Basedon the DouglasDuffel, the custom-ized bag was made ofVintage TribeLeather with Cana-dian flag detail andan embroidered G8Muskoka logo.

Recipients of thejackets and bags

included US President BarakObama, UK Prime MinisterDavid Cameron, FrenchPresident Nicolas Sarkozy,Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi,German Chancellor Angela

Merkel, Japanese Prime Minis-ter Naoto Kan, Russia’s DmitryMedvedev and the EuropeanUnion’s José Manuel Barrosoand Herman Van Rompuy andthe host of the summit, CanadianPrime Minister Stephen Harper.

Two hours south in Toronto,Roots also provided specialmessenger bags for journalistscovering the G20 weekendsummit. In the lead-up to themuch-anticipated gathering,Roots had helped promote thehost city, at the request of themunicipal government.

In late May, Toronto’s cityleadership held a press confer-ence in Washington to spotlightToronto as the G20 host city toforeign media. As a highlysuccessful, internationallyrecognized Toronto-basedbusiness, Roots was asked to bepart of the delegation speaking atthe press conference.

At the National Press Club inWashington, Roots Co-FounderMichael Budman joinedToronto Mayor David Millerand world acclaimed, Toronto-based filmmaker Deepa Mehtato address the media about thecity.

“Roots has long derivedmuch of its inspiration fromToronto,” said Michael in hisremarks. “From the creativity,rich cultural activity, the incred-

ible ethnic diversity of localresidents, the progressive climateof tolerance and forward think-ing, the passion for amateur andprofessional sports, the apprecia-tion of style, Roots is proud tobe based in and stimulated bysuch a great city.”

Also in attendance were;David Whitaker, President andCEO, Tourism Toronto; RenatoDiscenza, CEO, Invest Toronto.


STARTING LINEUPIntroducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores

SPEAK TO MY AGENTThe littlest customers show their Roots

Easy ways to stay healthyHEALTH TIP #57

As part of our continuing series of team pictures of all the stores in the Roots retail family, this issue of The Sourceis shining the spotlight on the Lakeshore store in Oakville, Ontario. From left to right: Ivona Mcgill, Kashish Patel(Manager), Morgan Tryon and Michelle Lane.

We often receive

unsolicited photos frompeople eager to showus pictures of theirchildren, cousins,grandchildren, or even

pets, wearing Roots. Sometimes the senders ask if we coulduse the photos in a future advertising campaign for Roots. Wecan’t promise that but we are happy to publish them in TheSource.

Everyone is welcome to submit their favourite shots to beconsidered for publication. Please send your pictures [email protected].

Be sure to include the name and age of each child or pet inthe photo, where it was taken, place of residence and asentence stating that you agree for the photos to be used inThe Source.

A window tothe organs:You don’talways needto go to anutritionist tofind out

what’s wrong with your diet. Startby looking at your tongue, animportant indicator of one’shealth.

The tongue’s extreme tipcorrelates to the heart; the bitslightly behind indicates thelungs. The right side shows whatthe gallbladder is up to and theleft side illustrates the liver. Themiddle is a sign of the conditionof your stomach and spleen, andthe back of the tongue is for thekidneys, intestines, bladder andwomb.

A healthy tongue should besmooth, supple and slightlymoist. It should be pale red incolour with a very thin, white film.

One of the most commonindicators is a crack down themiddle, which means you have aweak stomach and your digestionis not what it should be. You aremost likely nutrient-depleted.

What should you do? Take adigestive enzyme with meals –this is a supplement that helps tobreak down food during digestion,which can be found at your localhealth food store. Eat soups,stews and blends – foods that areeasy to digest. Millet porridgewould be good for you. Also, stayaway from fizzy drinks and don’tdrink liquids at mealtimes.

For information on othercommon indicators of the tongueand solutions, read You Are WhatYou Eat by Dr. Gillian McKeithwhich is the source of this healthtip.

Big developments in the life of Roots staffMOMENTS THAT MATTER

Cheryl Somek, Managerof the New SudburyCentre store in Sudbury,Ontario, (who is currentlyon maternity leave), andher husband AndrewZacharosky welcomed anew baby girl, AvaZacharosky, on February8, 2010.

Hearty congratulationsto Cheryl and Andrew onthis great moment in theirlives.

Isabelle Thornton,7 weeks,Dublin, Ireland

Please send your photos orstory ideas to

[email protected].

SPEAK UP!

Nicolo Giorno,8 months,Genoa, Italy

Ava Zacharosky


MUSICAL ROOTSThis month, we spotlight Canadian rapper Drake

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

No, they are not what theymay look like. Yes, theyare cookies, but with a

difference. Despite their appear-ance as calorie-laden, artery-clogging treats, these chocolatechip cookies are a muchhealthier alternative to theirconventional counterparts.

For this issue’s Chef’sCorner, we present a recipe formaking the ultimate whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies.Made with whole-wheat flour andbrown sugar, this delicious snackis a healthier alternative toconventional cookies.

INGREDIENTS:1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened1/2 cup natural brown sugar,packed

1/2 cup organic sugar1 egg1/2 teaspoon vanilla1 cup white whole wheat flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon baking soda1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled

oats3/4 to 1 cup darkchocolate chips, 60%cocoa3/4 cup nuts,chopped1 (1.5 to 2 oz) darkchocolate (60%cocoa or better) bar,grated

DIRECTIONS:1. Preheat oven to375°

2. Place oats in a food processorand process until it turns into apowder.3. In a medium bowl, whisktogether the powdered oats, flour,salt, baking powder and bakingsoda.4. In a large bowl, cream together

butter and both sugars for 3minutes on medium speed. Beatin eggs and vanilla. Graduallybeat in dry ingredients. Stir ingrated chocolate, then addchocolate chips and choppednuts.5. Roll or scoop dough into 2-inch sized balls and place 2inches apart on ungreasedcookie sheet. Bake for 12minutes.6. Cool 2 minutes on bakingsheet before transferring to acooling rack.

Makes 25 cookies. The scoopeddough freezes well and bakes upas delicious as fresh. Add 1-2minutes to bake time for frozendough.• Source: wholegraingourmet.com

ROOTS RADIORECOMMENDSA list of the top 3 CDsworth noting this month1. 2010: Listen Up! Official Fifa World Cup, Various Artists2. Troubadour (Champion Ed), K’naan3. Nikki, Nikki Yanofsky

The Canadian rapper, singerand actor known popularlyby his middle name Drake

is currently one of the hottestfigures on the music scene. Hisrecently released album, ThankMe Later, has already earned the23-year old performer bothcritical and commercial success.

Born in Toronto in 1986 to aJewish mother and African-American father, Aubrey DrakeGraham was brought up by hismother in the city’s affluentForest Hill neighbourhood. Hespent several summers with hisfather in Memphis where hesoaked up its rich music scene,eventually writing songs,hanging around studios andmeeting famous musicians.Interestingly, Drake first made aname for himself in the enter-tainment world through hisacting.

He got his first role as awheelchair-bound, junior highschooler on the Canadian teendrama TV series Degrassi: TheNext Generation. Later, he wonroles in such TV series as SoulFood; Conviction and BestFriend’s Date.

Gaining popularity as a smallscreen actor, Drake couldn’tresist trying his hand at musicand revisiting those earlyMemphis memories. In February2006, he released his first indiemixtape entitled Room forImprovement. The next year, hereturned with another independ-ent mixtape Comeback Season.One of its singles peaked atnumber 21 on Bubbling UnderR&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart andcaught the ear of rap superstarLil Wayne.

Drake developed a closerelationship with Lil Wayne and

became his protégé after col-laborating with the rap mogul ona remix of the song “Man of theYear.” With the assistance of theYoung Money founder, hereleased his third indie mixtapeSo Far Gone in February 2009.The record featured collabora-tions with mentors, Trey Songz,Peter, Bjorn and John, Lloyd andOmarion.

Drake made his debut onBillboard’s Hot 100 with “Best IEver Had.” Having no featuredguest on the track, it climbed tonumber 18 on the U.S. singleschart, peaked at number 1 onBillboard’s Hot Rap Tracks andnumber 2 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Whatmade him different from otherartists was that he reached all hispopularity and achievement asan indie singer, with no recordlabel.

As one of music’s risingstars, Drake received severaloffers from major labels,including Universal Motown andAtlantic Records. The labelsended up in a major bidding warto sign Drake with UniversalMotown eventually emergingvictorious and in mid-JuneDrake released his debut studioalbum, Thank Me Later, toconsiderable acclaim. It’s clearDrake is destined for seriousstardom. - Davin Bujalski• To hear the music of Drake, visit:octobersveryown.blogspot.com

summer 2010

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