Iconic Canadian retailer, Roots unveiled its new Roots Cabin concept store to the public on November 8. Located in Vancouver’s CF Pacific Centre, it is the first of its kind in Western Canada, and one of just three in the world. The entrance to the store was set-up as a dining area and members of the media were invited to a lunch which included the most adorable campfire cupcakes! Topped with flame icing, chocolate flake logs, and a toothpick with two torched mini-marshmallows made them the highlight of the meal.
The Roots Cabin offers an enhanced retail experience that brings the brand to life with a customization shop, themed change rooms reflecting Canadian seasons and canoe oars, and a comfortable lounge to browse roots.com and select from inventory in all stores across Canada.
Roots has a long history of customizing jackets for cultural icons such as Drake and the late David Bowie. For the first time, Vancouverites can create their own custom jackets and bags in the Customization Workshop, where technology meets craftsmanship. A rep for the company says that the option of non-leather sleeves for the jackets will most likely be available in 2018.
Jim Gabel, Roots President and CEO says “Vancouver was selected for the Roots Cabin enhanced experience format because the truly unique active lifestyle found here inspired our desire to be more connected to the open air of the outdoors…An enhanced fitting room and lounge experience complement the online shopping integration and convenience of in-store pickups and returns of online orders.”
The Roots Cabin Experience
Roots, inspired by the rugged beauty of Algonquin Park, captured the essence of the Canadian outdoors creating a lifestyle that would endure. The aesthetic is natural, comfortable and open. At the heart of the design is Canadian-made mill work and local reclaimed wood in a range of varieties. British Columbia Western Cedar wall paneling is emblazoned with a giant Canadian flag motif in the fitting room lounge. A Canadian handmade canoe accents the space. Roots Canada archival items on display including historical custom Roots Awards Jackets.
“The design elements seen in the Roots Cabin store were influenced by our heritage – from the lighting fixtures inspired by Roots Leather Factory to the canoe and decorative paddles, hand-made in Canada. The space is intended to put customers into an open air environment that makes for a more enjoyable shopping experience,” Gabel adds.
The Customization Workshop
The Customization Workshop, one of only two in the world, is an interactive, collaborative creative space that is digitally connected to the Roots factory. Tactile samples along a digital interface, enable customers to see their custom designs come to life on-screen. Their classic heritage styles such as The Award Jacket, The Student Pack, The Small Banff Bag and The Downtown Tote can all be customized, personalized, and monogrammed. Customization Experts guide customers through the same process that Roots celebrity ambassadors have enjoyed over the decades.
The Lounge
The in-store lounge allows guests to relax, charge their phones, and enjoy a refreshment while they socialize outside spacious change rooms. The change rooms’ custom wallpapers make one feel as though they have stepped onto the dock in cottage-country with one that includes our historical timeline in photos. Handmade decorative paddles accentuate the space. The lounge doubles as an intimate spot for live performances and interactive listening sessions. It is set to become a new hub for events, underscoring the company’s longstanding commitment to Canadian music and culture. eCommerce converges with the physical store experience in the adjacent ‘endless aisle’ area, where customers order, pick-up or try on their online orders or browse inventory on roots.com or any store in Canada.
In addition to great winter pieces that just beg layering, Roots has peppered the store with great gift ideas also. Real Canadian maple syrup, maple sugar shortbread cookies, toques, and for the little ones, a whole line of adorable gear.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.
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