Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. Were now getting calls from all over the world., Under Colleen and Meghans direction, Smithe now has a beautiful new lookbook in its marketing toolbox and a stable full of breathtaking photography, as they become the exclusive distributor for Ellen DeGeneres new furniture collection from Thomasville. Meet The Walter E. Smithe Furniture Sisters - Luxe - Design That can help Walter E. Smithe differentiate itself from the growing number of lower-priced furniture retailers that have moved into the Chicago area in the past couple of years, Walter Smithe said. Sometimes you have to act fast. "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. Its no longer that way.. Walter E. Smithe III, the company's president, and his four beautiful It's partnered with celebrity designers and broadened the mix of products carried in stores, online and in its resurrected catalog to include more current trends and a wider range of price points. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. /r/Chicago is the place to discuss and stay updated on the daily happenings of Chicago, Illinois, USA. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. Sisters Colleen, Caitie, Maureen and Meghan Smithe, from left, are breaking the mold as fourth-generation leaders of the 75-year-old Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. "That is the top priority for the four of us," Meghan Smithe said. Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. 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. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . Walter E. Smithe Furniture is a company located in Itasca, Illinois, United States. 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! "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. Growing up, she and her sisters held various roles at the furniture and design firm, earning their first paychecks and gaining job experience and exploring interests that would later launch their careers. Smithe Parker leads Walter E. Smithe advertising Check out the new collection. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). "It's a big responsibility. 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. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. He also hosted telethons. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II. As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. A family affair: How four sisters are bringing a 75-year-old store into Luxury Hotels, Travel, Dining, Lifestyle - Haute Living The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. And it's not uncommon for their kids to make cameo appearances in advertisements or to help sort through fabric samples, "which would technically make it a five-generation business," Maureen says. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. In family businesses, thats the only way to ensure a companys continued success. Today, Maureen is a buyer, Meghan is the director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and assists the merchandising team, and Colleen is the director of advertising. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs Walter E. Maureen in 2002 Meghan in 2014 Caitie in 2015 and Colleen in 2016. 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. I can't breathe!' Is anyone else annoyed with the new generation of Walter E Smithe It said he passed away peacef "It's never gone completely crazy -- no one can say that one commercial will bring customers in -- but we kind of thought it re-established us in the marketplace. - Timmy: Dressed as an old-time newspaper boy, 10-year-old Timmy appeared in dozens of commercials in the '70s for his uncle's Long Chevrolet dealership in Elmhurst. 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. . It takes work and sacrifice.. Whether bringing in color as an accent or making a big statement with a lot of color, your home will feel instantly transformed and personalized. "That was the best part," she said. There is no rule book that says they all need to matchmetals always compliment one another. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. There's a certain time and simplicity factor, so from the time of the idea to the time we shoot it can be as short as a week.". First there were the brothers. Now the Walter E. Smithe - Pinterest Kyla McCarthy - EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) Instead of starring third-generation brothers Walter III, Tim, and Mark, the new ones put the spotlight on fourth-generation sisters Caitie, Meghan, Maureen, and Colleen. Main Telephone (630) 285-8000. "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. '", "I was at a gym on a treadmill," Mark says of the first time he caught one of the commercials. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. It was a natural fit, she said. We are sad to announce that on October 9, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Walter E. Smithe Jr. of Chicago, Illinois. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. "By being so close and meeting so regularly, we're all in the loop with what's happening in each other's sphere. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Walter E. SMITHE corporate office is located in 1775 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 60004, United States and has 382 employees. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. 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. Jamie Sotonoff. Last year there aas a commercial where the puppet quickly moved to close his laptop when someone came in the office. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. That was the extent of his pitchman career. Most recently, she was at . "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. Chicago, IL. Ellen is very serious about design and had a definite voice in what this modern-rustic-meets-farmhouse collection would be. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. Read on to find out more about pelvic floor therapy and how it's growing in popularity among postpartum women. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. While their father and grandfather are still actively involved in the day-to-day, the women have taken over the companys marketing, design, advertising and buying effortsand immediately went about altering brand perceptions. '", "The business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. 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. Subscribe for free today! Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. The Smithe family announced that their patriarch died this past Sunday with his wife of 64 years, Florence Flynn Smithe, by his side. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, - Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. Around the same time, Caitie was ready to return to the workforce as a designer and stylist, a skill she had honed early in her career. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Yelp There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. You want it to succeed and do well.". Then there's their father, a hardworking industry expert who leads by example and walks into any work setting saying, "We check our egos at the door.". We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. - 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. But he soon returned to the family furniture business that his father first started in 1945, and pioneered the concept of custom-order furniture in the Chicago area. Itasca, IL 60143. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. 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. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. - The Victory Auto Wreckers guy: Almost every night since 1981, on some channel, Bob Zajdel has barely escaped injury when the driver's door fell off his old Chevy. Its nice to see when a family is ready to replace a well-loved piece that they come back to Smithe to do it. To date, there are 10 Smithe stores scattered throughout Chicago, and one in northwest Indiana. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". 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. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. Walter Smithe III and his brothers Mark and Tim helped make the furniture store a household name with clever commercials -- a tradition that's continued with Smithe III's four daughters, Colleen . [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. "We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. A matte black bathtub, vanity mirrors and hardware pop against the airy walls in this modern primary bathroom. Walter E. Smithe ads, famous for their jingle, now featuring next What The Walter E. Smithe Daughters Do . "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. And they're not showbiz types. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. They're not egomaniacs. At Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, we are committed to helping our clients love their homes through expert design, quality furnishings, and exemplary service. "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. The answer -- and the sisters' secret to success -- can be summed up in three key words: Fresh. They seem very pretentious I think. The inky accents create a sleek statement against the white walls and lend a streamlined look to the space. They were each only a year apart, at one point covering all four grade levels at Barrington High School. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. Today. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. Walter E. Smithe Jr., Founder of Popular Chicago-Area Furniture Company You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe . So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. But even as likable as the brothers are, do they run the risk of oversaturation or going to the well too often? 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. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. The Sisters Behind the Walter E. Smithe Furniture Company - DuJour The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . Press J to jump to the feed. Chicago Parent, as a Zoe Communications Group company, is certified as a Womens Business Enterprise by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nations largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women. Three generations are involved in the family-run Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, including Walter Smithe Jr. (far right); his sons Walter III (far left) and Mark; and his four granddaughters, from left, Maureen, Caitie, Colleen and Meghan. 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. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. 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. They've transitioned into the spotlight. But when they finally decided to accept, they knew they needed to come up with a unique and effective way to introduce themselves to the Chicago market as the new faces of Walter E. Smithe. Indian Trail, High Street intersection work approved in Aurora, Suspect in high-speed chase crashes into, kills veteran Indiana State Trooper trying to stop him: officials, Educators get peek at Paramount play about artificial intelligence which is set to tour schools, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary (1936 - 2022) | Chicago, Illinois Smithe brothers aim for 'Sex' appeal in latest quirky commercial, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walter_E._Smithe&oldid=1127865487, This page was last edited on 17 December 2022, at 02:33. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. Since 1945 the company has . In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. A new book offers a primer on how to spot, seize, and exploit and create lucky breaks More, Two new must-visit hotels from Austin to Houston More, Shop Patek Philippe timepieces, Oiya bracelets and a Miami-based skincare brand More, Plan a day of relaxation at Pressed Roots and The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas More, Raise a glass to our favorite new French-inspired bistros, charming piano bars and bold Italian eateries in Manhattan More, From shoes to handbags, here are the new boutiques to visit in New York City More, The best-selling author, entrepreneur and global philanthropist continues a push with Feeding America to provide 1 billion meals More, Were Over The Moon About This New Travel Registry, 2022 Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Edible Presents, Room Request! 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. Four sisters carry the Walter E. Smithe brand into the future "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. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . 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. Walter was the first of the third generation to join the family business in 1981 . A few bucks later, the clunker is off to Victory's Bensenville lot. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. Here, get to know this powerhouse quartet. 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. It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. Compare how recession-proof Walter E. Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. In one of their most memorable ads, the four women get into a food fight -- spaghetti and red wine included -- and seemingly destroy a bright white couch, which is then scrubbed clean. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled," says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have . Shop the label. They look hungry. Walter E. Smithe Trade In Sale - YouTube Contents. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. Mix together different, but complimentary, elements such as woods, metals and stonesand feel free to mix various metals together. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. My sisters and I represent the viewpoint of our younger clientele, Meghan says. 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. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. "Smithes have fun at the old ballpark". Personally, I dont want to stare at ugly furniture for all those years, Meghan says. The implication was that he was doing/looking at something inappropriate. Find locations. I only hear them on the radio. We don't take that lightly.". Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. We've got the radar out for that," Tim Smithe says. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. 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. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. This style is out there and we need to respond and get it on our floor. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design advertising has featured everything from parodies of "The Price Is Right" to a 2013 classic in which the Smithe brothers got into a wrestling ring with Billy Corgan. Start shopping. "There are still people who ask us, 'Where are the brothers? The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. Multi Location Business. "We're not your parents' furniture company," Caitie said. Visit . 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. Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! "It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. Find employees, official website, emails, phone numbers, revenue, employee headcount, social accounts, and anything related to Walter E. Smithe Furniture. 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. Falling asleep. It stuck in your head. "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says. When the boys took over from their father, there were about a half-dozen stores. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. Or "Hardrock, Coco and Joe." The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. My sisters and I loved being a part of it.. But shes quick to point out that the business is still very much a multigenerational effort, noting that their 81-year-old grandfather still regularly meets with clients. Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. Shop now. Now, there are 12, a 115,000-square-foot headquarters in Itasca and more than 550 employees, and this year Walter E. Smithe Furniture will do $100 million in sales. 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. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. His daughters were hesitant at first, questioning whether they were ready for such a responsibility. After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father.
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