MATT BOOTH: THE MAN BEHIND THE ROOM101 CREATIVE EMPIRE
BY PATRICK ADAMS
The old saying goes, “There are two sides to every coin.” We live in a world of duality – light and dark, good and evil, rich and poor. Because of the extremes, we tend to find one end of a spectrum to lean towards because living in the middle is sometimes confusing or uncomfortable.
The cover of this issue features someone who finds peace in that duality. Matt Booth is the Founder, Creative Director, and CEO of the Room101 family of brands. He is a little bit smooth jazz, and a little bit rock and roll. What is on the surface is not what you get in this case. Seeing him approach you on a city sidewalk at a late hour, your instinct might be to cross to the other side but, in knowing him, he is one of the kindest and most generous people you could meet. However, the complexity does not end there.
He is a little bit smooth jazz, and a little bit rock and roll.
The Room101 brand is described by Matt as a modern-day interpretation of the Alfred Dunhill brand of yesteryear. A throwback to finer things, in finer times, but accessible by the average person. Embracing the brand takes the patron to another place to experience something unique and special in their life. Perhaps a time of celebration, or perhaps to mourn or simply sit in silent reflection. Made of an eclectic array of high-quality cigars, premium liquor, and lifestyle products, the Room101 brand reflects Booth’s passion for art.
What sets apart Booth and Room101 from the rest is his passion and love for art and how it applies to what he is interested in. This is a story of a man following his American Dream that perhaps “accidentally” turned into a success as spreadsheets and profit were never part of the “business plan.” He simply followed what he loved and expressed his creativity in the products that he was interested in, but the complexity does not stop there.
He treats all as equals but knows that favor rewards those who work the hardest.
The Room101 line of jewelry and lifestyle products are created in the heart of the gritty jewelry district in downtown Los Angeles. Walking into these historic buildings whose glitz and glimmer are now shadowed by the sounds and dust of artistic manufacturing can’t help but make you feel a bit more creative being surrounded by true jewelry artisans that date back generations. However, you must fly to the other side of the country to see a similar assortment of artists crafting the Room101 line of premium cigars in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Another cross-country trip is required to survey the premium craft gin line from Room101 produced in Seattle, WA. Yes, consolidating all these Room101 lifestyle products into a single area would have been more convenient and on a corporate spreadsheet, would have made more sense. For Matt, however, the decision was easy because he simply went where the art told him to. It was the areas where he could be surrounded by artisans and craftsmen like himself, that spoke his language and could understand his artistic ambitions of each element of the Room101 lifestyle.
he simply went where the art told him to
This is part of the duality of Booth and in fact the Room101 brand itself. He is at home in downtown L.A. but calls Spokane, WA home because this is where his values are reflected by the people and landscape that he wishes to raise his family in. When speaking to Matt, it is obvious that his highest priority is his family, yet he recharges by being alone. He is part introvert, part extrovert. He has built an amazing and complex lifestyle company in Room101, but doesn’t consider spreadsheets or what he thinks will be “most popular” or what will sell best to the masses.
He is in a relentless pursuit to continue doing what he loves and is changing the game while doing so.
This was evident frequently during our time together. When the cameras would turn on, so would Matt. However, given a long enough break in the action, we would observe him perhaps in his natural environment having slipped away to a jewelry bench and starting to work on another piece of perfection that only lives in his head for now. It was one of those glimpses not of someone working, but of art being created that caused a pause for all of us. And perhaps this is what makes Room101 so special. It is Matt Booth. A kind, cool, generous guy, but also a fierce defender of what is “right.” He does not care what others think. He works hard for those he cares about. He treats all as equals but knows that favor rewards those who work the hardest. He is a military veteran, an entrepreneur, an artist, and a friend.
As he walked around the jewelry “lab” during our filming downtime, he would check in with his team of artisans crafting the next work of art. The conversations were that of peers; two creative geniuses bouncing ideas off each other to turn great into perfect. Some projects were jewelry, some were lifestyle products. In fact, the project that was evidently taking over his shop was the creation of custom-designed center caps for a famous low-rider car club in L.A. For a while, he found an open station and immediately started crafting something. As much as I wanted to rush over to look over his shoulder and begin asking questions, I instead paused and simply observed as it felt like that moment when a master had an impulsive spark that you didn’t want to risk extinguishing.
A kind, cool, generous guy, but also a fierce defender of what is “right”
Our next session found us up north near his home in Spokane with our friends at Axis Manufacturing for a day on the gun range (see "A Day of Freedom", page 62.) The same duality was on display with conversations ranging from an almost childlike display of giddiness as we fired off the most extensive array of automatic weapons that most humans will never see, to a serious discussion about perhaps a collaboration for a Room101 AR-15. It was clear that to Booth, this day was about the experience. It was not hitting targets or looking cool on camera. Just a bunch of friends, on a range, enjoying a day of freedom in America. At one point I looked around and didn’t see Matt. I finally saw him standing back about 50 feet next to one of the trucks, cigar in hand simply taking in the events around him. Automatic weapon fire all around, suppressed belt-fed M60s kicking up dust and there is Matt, dressed all in black puffing on a cigar with the look of peace and happiness almost clouded around him. This is Matt Booth and as a result, Room101.
As an artist, Booth is both physically and mentally always on the move. Continually reinventing, reimagining, redesigning, recalibrating, and especially, evolving. He is in a relentless pursuit to continue doing what he loves and is changing the game while doing so. In fact, as we thought this article was done Matt evolved to the next chapter yet again. The latest evolution of Room101, specifically Room101 Cigars, is the acquisition by Scandinavian Tobacco Group.
It is not a typical business, nor is it a typical brand.
On June 14, 2022, STG acquired Room101 Cigars and named Matt Booth the Creative Director of the brand. Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) is one of the world’s largest conglomerates of cigar and pipe tobacco brands. Oftentimes, we see acquisitions in a negative light. We see it as the proverbial “handing over the keys” or the end of an era. For Booth, this acquisition is nothing but an exciting opportunity that frees him to focus on doing the one thing he loves – creating. Booth’s relationship with STG gives Room101 Cigars an unprecedented global reach for his craft cigar brand. This is not the end of the road for Room101 Cigars. Rather, just like the launch of Room101 Cigars in 2009, it is the beginning of a new era for craft and boutique brands in the cigar industry.
It is not a typical business, nor is it a typical brand. Room101 is a lifestyle, which is what makes engaging in any of their products as special of an experience as spending time with Booth himself – because there is some of him in every product they produce. Room101 at times feels more like an adjective as in, “My trip to Spokane was so Room101.” While most would not understand that statement, those who have experienced the brand would know exactly what I meant.
This is what embodies the American Dream that Matt himself fought to defend – a man, with a vision who was willing to tirelessly work to see his passion become a reality for the good of his family and others. Simply living the art in his business.