"Still hard for me to imagine.") Over the last 12 years, one by one, Walter's daughters have been hired on at Smithe in an official capacity. Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) He was still spending weekends at Smithe furniture showrooms until recently and he volunteered for many years for Habitat for Humanity, building houses in the U.S. and Central America. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. We all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. Shop now. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, . High School," Walter says. There are so many cool and unique materials being used to manufacture furniture these dayssuch as capiz shells, bone inlay, faux shagreen, concrete, rope and slate. / CBS Chicago. Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. Nothing is left unchanged, Meghan notes. Woven Roman shades, a jute rug and a blonde wood vanity usher texture and warmth into the otherwise minimalist design. Currently, there are 3 generations involved in the business: Walter Smithe Jr is retired, but regularly visits the showrooms. Further confused by the commercials now. Those early Smithe commercials were straight-forward affairs, with each brother talking about his area of expertise -- Walt discussed the merchandise, Tim the company's designers, and Mark Smithe's delivery system and customer satisfaction -- and, of course, the furniture. Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 02:33, https://incfact.com/company/walteresmithefurniture-itasca-il/, Walter E. Smithe gives royal treatment to Royal Manner. To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. Warehouse workers go over every piece of inventory awaiting delivery with a fine-tooth comb, looking for things an untrained eye would never see. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. They can really do great things. Walter Smithe, president of the furniture company, climbs the stairs March 21, 2017, at the Walter E. Smithe furniture store in Oak Brook, alongside his four daughters, Colleen, from left, Caitie . 2023 Zoe Communications Group | 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite #LL-M974, Chicago, IL 60604 | 708.386.5555 | Website by Web Publisher PRO, ParentEd Talks: Free Virtual Speaker Series, A Concerned Parents Guide to Gun Violence and Gun Safety. The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think. E. Smithe sisters Caitie, Colleen, Meghan and Maureen were introduced to the business at a young age. And it's those commercials, always informative and usually silly, that have the Smithe brothers walking in the footsteps of Linn Burton and the Empire Carpet Guy as Chicago TV commercial icons. The process starts with Tim Smithe, Pam Thorson (the company's director of advertising) and director/editor Bill O'Neil of O'Neil Productions of Wilmette. The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. When the boys took over from their father, there were about a half-dozen stores. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM Since 1945, we have been Chicago's local source for quality furniture and expert design. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. And in between the entertainment were his folksy commercials for Courtesy Motors -- his cars were "honeys" and "sweeties" -- which at one point was the world's largest Ford dealer. "What about you and your sisters?". The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . Visit . Its very much in line with our desire to offer the most beautiful pieces that are of the highest quality. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . "You think a huge corporation is going to have pencil pushers and button touchers," says Lynn Hamilton, vice president of the Shirley Hamilton Agency, a Chicago talent agency. Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie . As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. walter e smithe. The journey from Point A to Point B started with an all-blooper and outtakes reel that O'Neil and Tim Smithe put together as a birthday gift for mom Florence. Opening Day is March 30. }); Chicago Parent is Chicagolands trusted parenting hub since 1984. Its unnerving. The transition took place over the span of 12 years as key positions became available in the company, starting with Maureen who became a merchandise buyer. "There was some physical violence between the brothers," Walt says with that satisfied look of a big brother who got to dish it out. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. He NEVER blinks. The Smithe sisters Walter III's daughters Maureen, Meghan, Caitie, and Colleen are also now executives at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design and appear in the ads. The Smithe brothers are following in the footsteps of other memorable Chicago commercial icons: - Jim Moran: Starting in the late '40s, "The Courtesy Man" sponsored wrestling programs, late-night movies, a country-and-western music show and his own variety show. He also hosted telethons. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Walter E. Smithe is a family business in every sense of the word, the sisters say. What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? The answer -- and the sisters' secret to success -- can be summed up in three key words: Fresh. Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta, Room Request: Four Seasons Hotel Bogota Casa Medina, New Restaurants and Bars in New York City, Clare V., Mulberry and More New Retail Openings in NYC, Tony Robbins Challenge to Provide 1 Billion Meals Nears its Goal, Get behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram. Instead, the Smithe sisters Colleen, director of advertising; Maureen, a buyer; Caitie, a designer; and Meghan, the marketing director help a Chicago couple with tastes that sometimes clash give their town home a new look before relatives show up for a visit. "They took different career paths," Tim says. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. Determine whether Walter E. Smithe Furniture grew or shrank during the last recession. Now, a lot more people know about us than knew a few years ago.". Shop the clearance. We refer to Smithe.com as our 12th store, since many of our clients are doing their research online before coming to see us in person.. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. Or "Hardrock, Coco and Joe." "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. We learned so much from these relationships, Colleen says. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. His four daughtersMaureen Megan Clarke Caitie Jisa and Colleen Parkerare now the new faces of this historic Chicago brand a spot he and his brothers held for decades. There is nothing like a day spent soaking up the sun and a good book or an evening with friends and good food and drinks under the stars. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Now, the fourth-generation leaders of Walter E. Smithe are learning to balance their busy personal lives with the big responsibility of carrying out the legacy of their family-run business. It's all a part of an effort to hang on to the company's loyal customers while persuading younger shoppers that Walter E. Smithe isn't just their parent's go-to store. The spot showed the brothers at a news conference announcing that they had purchased Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, with plans to rename it Walter E. Smithe Field. between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. Walter has been known to take furniture for test drives, says Meghan. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 92 reviews left anonymously by employees. Smithe says that doing everything in-house allows them to be quick on their feet. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. I also think, coming from a family business myself, to see how they interact with each other just gives you the feeling that they're good people, that you'd want to do business with those people.". The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. Walter Smithe, president of the furniture company, climbs the stairs March 21, 2017, at the Walter E. Smithe furniture store in Oak Brook, alongside his four daughters, Colleen, from left, Caitie, Maureen and Meghan. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. We had no grand plan.. The commercial, Colleen's brainchild, aimed to show off the company's new "worry-free" performance fabrics that repel stains, a trend Maureen recognized at a major industry trade show and brought back to the Chicago market. What The Walter E. Smithe Daughters Do . Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising Lewis Lazare. We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". Walter e smithe is a high end furniture store, no surprise their ads are geared towards middle aged women from high income households aka suburban moms. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. Spoken like the daughter of a true shop owner, as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. Now its only the wives and zero about the furniture. Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) We simply never had that conversation, Meghan says. You want it to succeed and do well.". Walt (actually Walter Smithe III), 45, is president and general manager of the company; he and his wife have five kids and live in Barrington Hills. Bloomingdale Plaza. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). They got on each other's nerves and learned to talk quickly at the dinner table if they wanted to get a word in. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. Caitie, Colleen, Maureen and Meghan Smithe represent the fourth generation helping run their Chicago-based family furniture store, Walter E. Smithe, and they're determined not to be the last. Compare how recession-proof Walter E. Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. '", "The business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. Walter E. SMITHE corporate office is located in 1775 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 60004, United States and has 382 employees. Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. Tags: Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article, Home & Garden, Interior Design. Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . But I never forget that these are my sisters and I completely respect them. Some ways to do this include mixing fabrics and leathers such as pairing linens with velvets, shag rugs, fur throws, organic elements such as rattan and bamboo even the reflective-ness of chrome can add texture to a room! Jamie Sotonoff. Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. Im stunned when people watch one of our makeovers and are surprised that Smithe carries so much of what they like, says Caitie. This style is out there and we need to respond and get it on our floor. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Hauldren -- an advertising copywriter who created the character -- first appeared in the ads in 1973. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. Walter Smithe, president of the furniture company named for his grandfather, is flanked by daughters, Maureen, left, and Caitie on March 21, 2017, as theywatch his other daughters Colleen, far left, and Meghan play pingpong at the Walter E. Smithe furniture store in Oak Brook. The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. Walter E. Smithe, Jr. joined the business in the 1960s with his brothers Gary and Tomm, and began phasing out appliances to focus on custom upholstery. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. "They're having a lot of fun. That sentiment applies to their lively commercials, too, which frequently feature the sisters chatting on a stylish couch or gathering with family members in a beautifully staged home. His four daughtersMaureen, Meghan, Caitie, and Colleenare now the new faces of this historic Chicago brand, a spot he and his brothers held for decades. By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. It was a natural fit, she said. walter e smithe furniture & design. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. For instance, finding that perfect piece of decorative furniture that creatively doubles as a toy box for kids games, toys and video devices. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. It's fun to be part of Chicago in that way.". Till your hair grows back."). The new campaign, dubbed Smithe Family Makeovers, showcases Smithe furniture in the homes of actual clients, revealing the handiwork of the companys designers in HGTV-esque episodes. USA. Create Comparison. It was founded by Walter Edward Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945. If you are ready to get grown-up furniture, this place has a very nice selection, with helpful staff who can guide you toward the proper colors, scale, and what looks nice together. "We have wonderful clients who are my generation or older, but we have to figure out how we cater to this new generation that's setting up households now. Our lives can be overrun with technology, commitments and schedules. Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. is headquartered in Itasca, IL. Today. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . He cites the U2 music video takeoff. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? Maureen Smithe and Caitie Smithe had the pleasure of working with Chicago's own Mr. FixIt, Lou Manfredini.Such a nice guy and a true Chicagoan! Who are these guys? The Walter E. Smithe furniture jingle "you dream it, we build it" has been a longtime fixture in the firm's television ads, just as the Smithe brothers themselves have been. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. So as long as strangers keep serenading them with the company jingle instead of pelting them with "Hardrock, Coco and Joe" DVDs, and as long as the business continues to grow, they'll keep doing the ads. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . Through March 7, EuroFurniture (2145 W. Grand Ave., eurofurniture.com) is offering 15 percent off BDI media cabinets and consoles available in-store, online, and by phone. That's why when she and her three sisters -- Maureen, Meghan and Caitie -- were asked a few years ago to transition into the role their father and uncles held for so long, they weren't immediately receptive. The 4th generation (Walter III's daughters) join the business after careers in their respective fields; Maureen in 2002, Meghan in 2014, Caitie in 2015, and Colleen in 2016. - Linn Burton: He started selling appliances in Polk Bros. ads in 1953, but the majority of his 35-year TV career was spent hawking cars -- Kaisers, Frazers, Joe Rizza's Pontiacs and, most famously, Bert Weinman's Fords. The Smithe brothers commercials Chicagoans are used to were great for getting the Walter E. Smithe name out, but the new ads put the focus back on the furniture and design services, said Meghan Smithe. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. The store, which has 10 locations in the Chicago area, has been open for nearly 75 years and has faced all the challenges of . I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse, sweeping for a nickel, Colleen says of the brand, which first opened in 1945. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. Lewis teamed up with Smithes merchandising team to create in-store vignettes, and also featured the store on his show. Sometimes you have to act fast. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. Were often building on what we see resonating in the market and what is interesting and beautiful at the moment., Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is coming off a successful year of strategic partnerships with Bravo TVs Jeff Lewis and interior designer Cynthia Rowley. For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says. Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. "Case in point, I was just this morning sketching out my first ideas for The Three Tenors, featuring, of course, the Smithe brothers in a coliseum. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. And they represented Walter E. Smithe with a sense of drive and zeal that can only exude from the third-generation stakeholders of what has become a household name. And yet, as they went off to college and moved into the next phase of life, they were never expected to someday return full time. They have a younger brother, who lives out of state, and plenty of younger cousins who have yet to join the team, though the sisters say there's still time. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. Later, both Tim and Mark were night managers at competing convenience stores, Tim at a 7-Eleven in Niles and Mark at a Park Ridge White Hen. 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. "It's a big responsibility. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. Postpartum bladder leaks are common but there's help. "An hour and a half. Find employees, official website, emails, phone numbers, revenue, employee headcount, social accounts, and anything related to Walter E. Smithe Furniture. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". I'm so annoyed that I won't buy anything from there. "We're custom, so we can create everything, but we need to get the right mix out there to give people ideas," said Meghan Smithe, the company's director of marketing. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. "We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. "And there's 10 televisions, all tuned to the same station. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. For decades, the public faces of the privately owned company have been the sisters father, Walter E. Smithe IIIthe 59-year-old grandson of the businesss namesakeand the sisters uncles, Mark and Tim.
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