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A week in the world of ������ Issue 49 – July 28, 2006

ROOTS BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN REGGAE

New release in Roots CD series pays tribute to Jamaican music

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED IN

Celebrities converge on Roots stores in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver

GETTING TOGETHER

Outlet managers from across Canada

take part in conference at

Roots HQ

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ROOTS BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN REGGAE Latest release in Roots CD series pays tribute to Jamaican music

Given the huge success earlier this year of the first CD in the exclusive “Roots of…” music series of recordings, it’s little surprise that the follow-up to The Roots of Motown was much anticipated. This week, The Roots of Reggae hit the stores and is already enjoying strong sales.

Produced by Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman, in conjunction with Universal Music, the album was inspired by his great affinity for Jamaica, the

birthplace of reggae. Jamaica and its culture have long been associated with Roots as it was one of the inspirations behind Roots when Michael and Co-Founder Don Green started the company in 1973. Since the late 1960s, both Michael and Don have visited the Caribbean island on countless occasions and have lots of friends there including many of the most celebrated reggae artists featured on the new CD.

"It would be impossible to exaggerate the influence that Jamaican culture, Jamaican people and Jamaican music have had on both Michael and Don as individuals and on the direction of Roots as a corporate entity," writes Grammy Award-winning ethnomusicologist Rob Bowman in the CD's liner notes.

This is evident in, among other things, the Roots Rock Reggae clothing line and the company's sponsorship of Bob Marley Day in Canada over the years. Roots is also one of the original sponsors of the annual Goldeneye Film Festival in Jamaica.

The 18-track CD showcases the biggest names in reggae including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Toots and the Maytals, Third World, Peter Tosh, and Greogory Isaacs. Their music is as alluring as the beauty of Jamaica. Many of the greatest reggae anthems of all time are on this CD, such as Sun is shining; Wonderful world, beautiful people; The harder they come; You can get it if you really want and Many rivers to cross.

Roots Senior Art Director Ilich Mejia designed the cover jacket and inside booklet for the CD which is selling for $12.99. – Sarah Foster GETTING TOGETHER Outlet managers from coast to coast meet in Toronto Head Office

Roots Outlet managers from Vancouver to Halifax got a chance to meet their colleagues from other provinces this week, as the ‘Roots 73’ management team came together for the first-ever such conference at the Roots head office in Toronto. Organized by Rosemary Eisenhut, Director of

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FINE DESIGN, GOOD CAUSE Roots leather jacket in honour of Wayne Gretzky raises thousands for CNIB

ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF JOY Roots receives Israeli delegation traumatized by Arab terrorism

IN THE RIGHT PLACE Roots lends its support to annual festival as an official supplier

CAMO A BIT HIT Camouflage look takes off at Roots

THE ROOTS TOP 10 A guide to the sounds of Roots for the month of August

CALLING ALL TENNIS LOVERS A special offer for Roots employees wishing to attend the Rogers Cup

IF AND WHEN YOU NEED IT Program lends a hand to Roots employees

Departments

FRESH INK

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED IN…

SPREADING THE WORD

UP FRONT

GREEN TIPS

HEALTH TIPS

STAYING POWER

DEPARTMENT OF CLARIFICATION

Publishers Michael Budman, Don Green

Editor Robert Sarner

Editorial Assistant Paulomi Patel

The Source is published every week by Roots Canada Ltd. We welcome letters from readers for publication. Please address all correspondence to The Source, Letters to the Editor, Roots Canada, 1400 Castlefield Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6B 4CR or by email to rsarner@roots.com Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Each issue of The Source is also available, in an abridged version, on the Roots website at www.roots.com

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Retail, managers of the 21 Roots outlet stores took part in a daylong series of information sessions and team-building workshops held in the Hub area of 1400 Castlefield Ave.

“It was wonderful to have all the Outlet managers under one roof at the Roots headquarters,” says Rosemary. “It’s great to see them come together as a team and also for them to see the people at the Head Office working in the background to support those in the stores working on the frontlines. Having so many good minds together in the same room, drawing on their experience and focusing on the way forward will really strengthen the outlet stores going into the back half of the year.”

The theme for the day was ‘Gifted Leaders’ focusing on the qualities needed to be a good manager. Based on this theme, the group participated in team-building exercises planned by Rosemary and Retail Operations Coordinator Roanne Camagay.

A few days earlier, as preparation for the conference, the managers were asked to put together detailed booklets defining the unique attributes of their respective stores that they presented to their colleagues at a special session.

Roots Co-Founder Don Green addressed the managers, congratulating them on their hard work and for their particularly strong performance so far in 2006. He also presented three awards. (See box below).

Shyrose Kassam, Director of Merchandising, Outlets, and her team presented the upcoming fall collection and fall-related ad campaigns.

“This meeting was such a re-energizer,” says Drew Thomas, Store Manager, Bayers Lake Outlet in Halifax. “Being from the east coast, I rarely get to interact with anybody from the head office. This was a great experience meeting the top people in the company, along with getting to know other managers. Being at a meeting with all the Outlet managers from across the country for the first time reinforced the notion that the outlet is truly a lean, efficient machine and destined for important things. It’s a pleasure to see and be part of an organization where access to the top is so easily available and the lines of communication are always open and truly encouraged.”

The Roots outlet stores have evolved considerably since the first one opened 12 years ago on Orfus Road in Toronto as a clearance centre for extra goods. The concept of ‘Roots 73’ came into being two years ago and the stores have been highly successful ever since. Five new locations are planned to open in 2006. GUESS WHO JUST DROPPED IN… Taking attendance of special guests at Roots stores

Celebrities have long made a point of shopping at Roots. Here are the latest sightings of prominent figures from the world of entertainment who visited Roots stores recently:

· Montreal (Centreville) – A steady stream of celebrities have dropped in to the Roots Centreville store during the ongoing Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. Alex Borstein from Mad TV (Ms.

Jamie Elman Marc Messier Drew Carrey Eric McCormick Jay Harrington Sarah Chalke Alex Borstein

Award Winners Best increase over last year sales for spring 06

Michael Veira, Store Manager, Durham Centre, Ajax, ON

Best gross margin % for spring 06

Daniela Bosa, Store Manager, Grandview, BC

Best stock turn for spring 06

Jamie Quinn, Store Manager, Niagara Falls, ON

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J. Priestley, N. Lowde-Priestley

Swan) and the Family Guy and Robert ‘Bob’ Marley, a team member from her show, shopped at the store. Alex bought three leather bags including the Emily Bag. She also invited the sales associates who helped her to attend her show that night. Robert "Bob" Marley shopped for men’s and kids clothing.

Jamie Elman from American Dreams and the Canadian sitcom Student Bodies visited the store to check out the Roots hats. French-Canadian actor Marc Messier purchased a men’s leather jacket. Actor/comedian Drew Carey visited with his 3-year-old son and shopped for baby clothes.

· Toronto (100 Bloor St.) – Last Saturday, Eric McCormick from Will and Grace was at the flagship store followed by Jay Harrington (Dr. Ron from Desperate Housewives) and Sarah Chalke (Elliot Reid from Scrubs). Both Jay and Sarah are in town shooting a movie together. Shortly thereafter, Bob Saget (Full House and America’s Funniest Videos) stopped by. Among other celebrities who came to the Roots store were Eric Idle, the creator of Monty Pythons Spamalot and actor Robert Downey Jr. who shopped for his crew of the recently completed movie Charlie Bartlett. He left the store with items from all the departments including the just-released Roots of Reggae CD and a Camo bag for himself.

· Vancouver (Robson St.) - Actor Jason Priestley shopped for some T-shirts and cowboy hats with his wife Naomi Lowde-Priestley. Johny V, hairstylist for actor Mark Wahlberg, purchased a Village Bag and some Roots accessories. FINE DESIGN, GOOD CAUSE Roots leather jacket in honour of Wayne Gretzky raises thousands for CNIB

Earlier this month, Roots donated a one-of-a- kind leather jacket to be auctioned at the Walter Gretzky Charity Golf Tournament just outside Toronto. By the time bidding ended, the jacket reached the price of $5,000, all of which will go to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Roots Co-Founders Michael Budman and Don Green, along with Senior Designer, Special Projects, David Young, first presented the jacket to Walter’s son, Wayne, at Lobby, a restaurant in downtown Toronto. He loved its distinct look, as it was different from the usual designs of NHL apparel and

R. Downey Jr. Bob Saget Eric Idle

THE HOT LIST A fast look at what’s flying off the shelves at Roots stores

Based on the latest sales figures from all Roots stores in Canada and the United States, here are the 20 top-selling products:

1. Men’s Elk Island Polo 2. Men’s Cape Swim Shorts 3. Women’s Paige PD Polo 4. Women’s V Neck Henley Tank 5. Men’s Gnarr Sleeveless T-shirt 6. Men’s Logan Mélange Ringer 7. Women’s Natural Graphic Tee 8. Women’s Pima Ringer Tee with Canada logo 9. Women’s Beaded Long Tank 10. Girls Flared Sweat Pants 11. Girls Glorious Crew T-shirt 12. Boys Crocs 13. Boys Warm Up Hoody 14. Babies Canada Short Sleeves Ringer T-shirt 15. Roots Bottle Water 355 ml 16. Beaver Canvas Tote 17. Havaiana Flip Flops 18. Steffy BB Cap 19. Crocs Beach Clogs 20. Village Pack Tribe Leather Bag

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paraphernalia. Wayne signed the jacket just before it was put on auction.

Designed by David along with Director of Leather, Karl Kowalewski, the custom-made jacket was inspired by "Wayne’s roots" - his days as a youth in the minor hockey system in his hometown of Brantford, Ontario where he played for the Nadrofsky Steelers. The jacket sleeve features a large ‘9’, the number The Great One first wore (in honour of his childhood idol Gordie Howe) and the letter ‘B’ for Brantford.

David, who also hails from Brantford, says: “It was an extremely rewarding experience designing a jacket for Wayne, to be given to his father Waltera and used for a good cause.”

Made from black vintage leather with red knit fabric used for details, the jacket features chenille direct embroidery, felt appliqués and a double lining of vintage white silk. ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF JOY Roots receives Israeli delegation of children traumatized by Arab terrorism

This week, the Roots flagship store in Toronto hosted a unique group of children. The 10

boys and girls had arrived the day before from Israel where they had all lost parents and/or siblings in Palestinian terrorist attacks. They were brought to Canada by the One Family Fund, an organization dedicated to helping families in Israel ravaged by bombing and shooting attacks. To help bring some much-need joy into their lives, the children were offered a free month at a summer camp in Ontario, far from the tragedy and trauma they had endured in Israel. Friend of Roots Corey Mandel (of Mandel Entertainment), who owns Camp Timberlane, made the summer paradise in Ontario’s Haliburton region available to the kids. The day before they headed north to Timberlane, the children and their counselor from Israel were invited to Roots. They were warmly welcomed at the store and were all given refreshments, backpacks, camp gear and Roots apparel. It was a moving experience for the Roots staff to meet and speak to the children who had been through such terrible adversity in their home country.

ON THE FRONTLINES Our ongoing series for retail staff on making a difference in Roots stores

Each week, Heather Lambert-Hillen, Co-Manager of Roots Central in Toronto’s Eaton Centre, offers a new take on what makes customers enjoy shopping at Roots stores. It’s based on her many years working on the retail side of Roots.

What is FABulous about this? By Heather Lambert-Hillen

We’re all familiar with various sales techniques that we’ve heard along the way. The most common one is FAB. We link it to product knowledge and the "Show Product" approach to selling.

Do you really know how to use it? If asked, could you train someone on how to effectively use it? Let's start with what it stands for:

F is for FEATURE. A is for ADVANTAGE. B is for BENEFIT. Now, let's pick an item and use this technique. (I will break it down as we go along)

For example: This 'shirt' (item) is 'made of 100% cotton' (feature) which means 'it is machine washable' (advantage of feature) which means that 'it is durable and long-lasting' (benefit of advantage). Simple, right?

The above sentence, when used word for word, is the proper use of FAB. As you become more comfortable and confident with it, change "which means" into a more sophisticated phrase, such as "which exemplifies" or "therefore means".

There is much to learn when it comes to "FABing". The most important thing is to just KEEP IT SIMPLE. Try out the example I’ve included above and you are well on your way to a FABulous sale.

Lastly, on another note, if any retail staff members have a sales-related question that they would like to have answered in my column in The Source, please send it to me via your Field Business Manager. I will try to respond in a timely manner and to incorporate it into a future column.

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IN THE RIGHT PLACE Roots lends its support to annual festival as an official supplier

Roots is set to make waves at the 5th Annual Irie Music Festival next week in Toronto. The popular reggae music event, a three-day cultural extravaganza, will take place August 4 - 6 at two of the city’s high-profile public venues, the Nathan Philips Square and Ontario Place.

Roots is the official supplier of the festival T-shirts. Coordinated by David Jackson of the Business-to-Business Department, the T-shirts will be sold in select Roots stores. Roots will also be setting up a booth at the event to sell the Irie T-shirts, the just-released Roots of Reggae CD (see Page 2) and a selection of Jamaica-related Roots products.

Staff from Roots Central will man the booth. Irie (pronounced eye-re) is a Jamaican word meaning goodness, well-being and joy. Encompassing this and created as a unifying symbol of Toronto's diversity, the Irie Festival will feature the Grammy Award-winning UK reggae band Steel Pulse on Irie Day at Ontario Place on August 6. Other Irie Day performers include dancehall innovator Sugar Minott and legendary jazz reggae guitarist Ernest Ranglin. CAMO A BIT HIT Camouflage look takes off at Roots

As regular customers know, it’s quite common for staff in Roots stores to coordinate what they wear on a given weekend to showcase a new collection or theme, such as for Canada Day or other major events. Last weekend, the look featured by staff was the highly popular camouflage print line. Each staff member received a free “camo” T-shirt as part of the initiative. In Vancouver, the team at the Robson St. store really got into the act, inviting Roots mascot Buddy the Beaver to be the star attraction, much to the delight of customers. (See photo to the left.) The camo collection has been extremely well

received by customers and staff. In a couple of

isolated instances, someone at a store took issue with the camo look, questioning if it was perhaps a political statement by Roots relating to the current military conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan. As a highly popular fashion trend around the world that has appeared in different variations over the years, the camo look transcends any military association when used by fashion companies. In the case of Roots, camo was chosen as a stylish extension of the Roots Camp collection, projecting a look that blends in well with the natural environment. It literally camouflages with nature and the great outdoors, which have always been part of Roots.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Our weekly spotlight on new positions at various stores

Here is a list of current job openings at Roots stores along with the appropriate contact person. For more information, please refer to the separate email notices sent out recently about each position: Assistant Store Manager, Sault Ste. Marie, ON (Silver level store). Please e-mail your resume to the attention of Sanjiv Khanna at skhanna@roots.com Deadline: Saturday, August 5.

Rachel Copp; Anna Chrapchynski; Zuzana Pavukova; Joel Cottingham; Chie Masukura; Debbie Barnes (as Buddy the Beaver)

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���������������A guide to just-launched Roots products

JASPER PERFECT FOR EARLY FALL Men have a lot to gain with new collection for the coming months

Inspired by the Canadian outdoors, the Jasper collection, is part of the early fall line for men at Roots. Made from fabrics such as lightweight cotton jersey and cotton fleece, these comfortable but stylish T-shirts, hoodies and sweat pants come with suede elbow patches and back seam detailing. Additional features include details like suede neck tapes for comfort. The hoodies and pants are over-dyed to further enhance the rugged vintage outdoor look. The sweat pants also come with two-sided cargo pockets for storage. Drawstrings at the hems allow converting the pants into shorts when required. Another outdoor style, the Nick Zip Hoody comes with a large print of the Roots story printed on the inside inspired from the history of Roots, with the aim of creating an outerwear design with a detailed interior. The hoody also features a special-edition embroidery on the pocket and comes with a waffle fabric-lined hood. The two front zip pockets allow for a lot of storage making this comfortable sweatshirt great for traveling. Created by the menswear design team consisting of Senior Designer Rita Shulman, and Associate Designer Dylan Anderson, the styles featured here are available in stores now.

Jasper Long Sleeves Tee:Available in stores in Canada and the US, the tees come in sizes XS – XXL. Retail price: $46

Jasper Zip Hoody: Available in stores in Canada and the US, the hoodies come in sizes XS –XXL. Retail price: $88

Jasper Long Sleeves Tee:Available in stores in Canada and the US, the tees come in sizes XS – XXL. Retail price: $46

Jasper Sweatpants: New slim fit for all, this sweat is available in stores across Canada. It comes in sizes XS – XXL. Retail price: $78

Nic Zip Hoody: Available in stores across Canada. It comes in sizes XS – XXL. Retail price: $88

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���������������A guide to just-launched Roots products

SNOOZING IN COMFORT Roots and Scanty create PJs with a difference

They hit stores last week, and all those who buy them swear by them. These are the new women’s pajamas made for Roots by Scanty and sold in Roots stores. Roots teamed up with the street-smart California company to create lifestyle pajama packages designed exclusively for Roots.

With a reputation for comfort, Scanty pajamas come in extremely soft 100% cotton with a washed finish. The stylish low curved back design combined with interior drawstrings and interesting cuff details on the bottom hems and nightshirts make the pyjamas attractive and cozy. Additional details like over lock stitching adds smoothness and comfort to the garment.

The pyjamas come in two exclusive patterns: the Beaver Camo and the Mountain Camo. Designed by the Roots Art Department, both prints come in two colour combinations: mountain camo and pink.

Available in sizes: XS-L. Retail price range: Cami: $48 - Henley: $78 SPREADING THE WORD Guide to new ads appearing this week and next

Sat., July 29 - National Post will run a full-page colour ad on the outside back cover of the Toronto section featuring the just-released The Roots of Reggae CD. Sat., August 5 - National Post will run a full-page colour ad on the outside back cover of the Toronto supplement featuring current Roots Products. FRESH INK A selection of recent coverage of Roots in the media

The Toronto Sun, July 21. Photo of Spamalot creator Eric Idle at Roots flagship store on Bloor St in Toronto. Montreal Gazette, July 19. Article entitled “Marketing Canadian spirit

never goes out of date” include quote from Domenico Ciarallo of Proudly Canadian Co. saying he’s flattered his company being compared to Roots.

Seaway News (Cornwall, ON), July 14. Mentions Crocs being available at Roots stores. Northern Ontario Business (Sudbury, ON), July 1. Article entitled “Women of Northern Ontario Awards 2006”, mentioning Roots as one of the businesses donating prizes for the luncheon draw. Flare magazine, July issue: Spotlight on Roots Linen bag featured in the “Our votes are in for summer’s best carryalls” section. Strut magazine, summer issue: The Roots Saddle Bag in black leather is featured in the magazine. Wish magazine, September issue: Great shot of the new Fall Melinda (red) leather bag.

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THE ROOTS TOP 10 A guide to the sounds of Roots for the month of August

1. Sun Is Shining, Bob Marley and The Wailers 2. Where Are We Going, Marvin Gaye 3. Dancing In The Moonlight, Van Morrison 4. Roots Woman, Jimmy Cliff 5. Spongii Reggae, Black Uhuru 6. Wonderful World, Sam Cooke 7. If I Had A Rocket Launcher, Bruce Cockburn 8. Dirty Laundry, Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions 9. Wonderful World, Beautiful People, Jimmy Cliff 10. War, Bob Marley and The Wailers

- Compiled by Davin Bujalski

UP FRONT What’s now in the Roots window displays

Last week, the new natural leather handbag posters replaced the Big Beaver Sale windows in the Roots store. The posters feature the new camo, natural, green and flat bag collection available in stores now.

The long vertical posters portray the natural theme and form the primary windows display in all Roots stores.

CALLING ALL TENNIS LOVERS A special offer for Roots employees wishing to attend the Rogers Cup

Toronto is set to become the hotspot for tennis enthusiasts next week, as the 2006 Rogers Cup kicks off on August 5 at the Rexall Centre at York University. With international champions like Rafael Nadal (2005), Roger Federer (2004) and Andy Roddick (2003) battling for the coveted

title, the star-studded tournament will be a tennis bonanza running until August 13. Thanks to a special offer from Tennis Canada, Roots employees can now buy their tickets at a discounted price.

All staff members can get 30% off on the Prime Lower Bowl Silver seats. Additional discounts include 25% off on the Lower Bowl Bronze seats and 20% off on Level 300 seats. The offer is presented by Tennis Canada a non-profit national sports association responsible for development of tennis across the country.

Interested staff members can order tickets by calling Tennis Canada Group Sales at 1-877-2TENNIS ext. 4306. Alternatively, log onto www.rogerscup.com/groups and use access code: ROO0023-3742370. STAYING POWER Saluting those who go the distance

This month, various Roots employees marked major anniversaries of their time at the company. By ‘major’, we mean benchmark achievements as in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years spent at Roots. We invite anyone celebrating such an anniversary at Roots to send the relevant information to The Source.

Congratulations to Crystal Schloegl, Keyholder, Prince George, BC, on completing five years at Roots next week.

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IF AND WHEN YOU NEED IT Program lends a hand to Roots employees

Roots has recently revised its program that offers help in a variety of situations to all staff members. Known as the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), it’s a confidential service designed to assist staff with any personal issues that are affecting their work or private life, including financial, emotional and addiction-related matters. It is administered by RBC Insurance.

Roots employees can receive help 24 hours a day, seven days a week by contacting the EAP Hotline or accessing the website at www.lifebalance.net. For further information, contact the EAP hotline at 1(877) 630-6701 or the Human Resources Department at the Roots Head Office. GREEN TIP # 15 The latest in our series of easy ways to help the environment

Rechargeable Batteries: Once they're all used up, recycle your rechargeable batteries. When they no longer hold a charge and are thrown away, they can cause serious harm to human health and the environment. About 75 percent of municipal solid waste is either sent to a landfill or incinerated. Neither of these methods is suited for the disposal of rechargeable batteries.

You can drop off your rechargeable batteries from (laptop computers, cell phones, PDAs, cordless power tools, camcorders and remote control toys)

at retailers like: Best Buy, RadioShack, Sears, and Walmart, where they will be properly disposed of. Visit www.zerofootprint.net - Provided by Zerofootprint, an innovative Toronto-based organization that helps companies and organizations reduce their environmental impact. See www.zerofootprint.net HEALTH TIP # 12 The latest in our series of easy ways to stay healthy

Eat healthy fats. Fish oil, extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, avocadoes, raw nuts and seeds are all sources of healthy fats which, when consumed in amounts appropriate for your metabolic type, will give you energy, health and vitality. Most vegetable and seed oils (such as those found in many store-bought salad dressings and marinades should be minimized as they are quite often rancid, not to mention destroyed by their processing. Margarine (organic butter is better), fried foods and hydrogenated fats are also best avoided.

Provided by Jeff Hirst, a professional trainer, co-owner of Training Zone, and a former Olympic diver. Jeff is an acclaimed sports instructor (who was the captain of the University of Toronto swim team) and is highly knowledgeable about health and fitness. He can be reached at trainingzone@hotmail.com DEPT. OF CLARIFICATION Setting the record straight

In Issue 48 of The Source, in the item entitled “Good sounds in the Peg,” Joseph Meissner should have been identified as a Keyholder in the St. Vital Centre store in Winnipeg.

In the same issue, we reported on the recently introduced Roots in-store shopping bags at outlet locations. They’ve proven so popular that they will soon be introduced to all Roots stores and will be available for sale to customers. - Please address any corrections, relevant updates and revisions to rsarner@roots.com

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The Source wants to hear from you. In addition to reporting on new developments at Roots, The Source also serves as a forum for ideas and commentary from readers. Please send your letters to Robert Sarner at rsarner@roots.com Letters may be edited for length and clarity. _____________________

THE SOURCE A week in the world of Roots Editor: Robert Sarner (rsarner@roots.com)