Heather Reisman
A retail visionary who transformed Canada's book-buying experience and built Indigo into a national cultural hearth.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Canadian businesswoman·Birthday: August 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Heather Reisman didn't just sell books; she sold an idea of Canadian intellectual life. After a successful first career in management consulting, she identified a gap in the market: a bookstore that felt like a destination. Launching Indigo in 1997, she championed a 'cultural department store' model, where customers could linger over curated books, music, and lifestyle products in a warm, inviting atmosphere. Her fierce competitive streak saw Indigo absorb its rival Chapters, creating a national powerhouse. Beyond retail, Reisman co-founded the e-reader company Kobo, ensuring a place in the digital shift. With her husband, Gerry Schwartz, she is also a formidable philanthropic force, supporting healthcare and education. More than a CEO, Reisman positioned herself and her stores as curators of the national conversation, making her one of Canada's most influential business figures.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Heather was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Heather Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Heather's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded Indigo Books & Music in 1997, which later merged with Chapters to become Canada's dominant book retailer.
- Co-founded the e-reading platform Kobo, which became a major global competitor in the digital book market.
- Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019 for her contributions to business and philanthropy.
- Serves as the Chair of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation's campaign in Toronto.
- Built Indigo's unique brand around a curated 'cultural lifestyle' concept, diverging from traditional bookstore models.
Did You Know?
She and her husband, Gerry Schwartz, are among Canada's most prominent philanthropic couples, donating tens of millions to causes like hospitals and universities.
She started her career as a management consultant at the firm Bain & Company.
She is known for her hands-on approach, personally selecting many of the non-book items sold in Indigo stores.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she notably pulled all copies of the book 'Irreversible Damage' by Abigail Shrier from Indigo shelves, citing concerns over its content about transgender youth.
She is a member of the influential Bilderberg Group, a private conference for transatlantic dialogue.
“Our mission is to inspire and enrich the lives of our customers by providing the best curated selection of books and lifestyle products.”
