Roots to invest in three flagship stores in Canada

New initiative follows robust retail and online results in 2013

TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2014 /CNW/ - As part of its plans for 2014, Roots Canada announced today that it has confirmed new long-term leases for two flagship stores in Toronto and one in Vancouver for which it is committing several million dollars in major renovations.

The stores include the company's top performing locations - in Toronto's Eaton Centre and at Vancouver's high profile downtown intersection of Robson and Burrard. The third store involves a relocation at 80 Bloor Street West on Toronto's upscale retail stretch between Bay Street and Avenue Road. In announcing this latest development, Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman said the current strength of the brand encouraged him and fellow Roots Co-Founder Don Green to reaffirm their commitment to the retail side of the business.

In 2013, which was the 40^th anniversary of Roots, the company posted its best year in its history, thanks to the formidable growth in its retail stores in Canada and online at www.roots.com, coupled with strong results in its stores in Asia.

"We're particularly excited about these three flagship stores," says Michael. "Each one provides an ideal showcase of the entire Roots brand for both our Canadian customers and the many foreign tourists who visit our stores in Toronto and Vancouver. Despite the phenomenal growth of our online business in recent years, our retail stores remain the ultimate, defining experience of our company."

The new mid-town Toronto store will be the successor to its former oversized flagship store a few doors to the west. Situated in an even higher traffic location, the store's 6,500 sq. ft layout is more ideally suited to the needs of Roots in the Bloor-Yorkville area, Canada's preeminent shopping district. The new concept Roots flagship is slated to open in May 2014.

At the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Roots will be doing a major renovation of its multi-level store, known as Roots Central. In Vancouver, Roots will be expanding and renovating its Robson St. flagship store situated on the finest retail real estate in western Canada.

Meanwhile, Roots is also enjoying significant growth in Asia. Working with its Taiwan-based partner, Branded Lifestyle, Roots now has 118 stores in Taiwan and China. Over the next three years, Branded Lifestyle plans extensive retail expansion for Roots in Asia.

These new developments come as Roots prepares other exciting plans for 2014 including a new collection of high quality, Canadian-made athletic wear (Roots XL), a new collaboration with Canadian visual artist and writer Douglas Coupland, and an exclusive collection based on the paintings of Canadian iconic artist, Tom Thomson.

SOURCE: Roots Canada Ltd.

Robert Sarner, Director of Communication and Public Affairs
Roots Canada
[email protected] -- Tel: [phone], ext. 4280