Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design 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. Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. "There was some physical violence between the brothers," Walt says with that satisfied look of a big brother who got to dish it out. Working at Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design | Glassdoor You could say that the Smithes are a bit obsessed with quality. Tim offered Walt brotherly support after a just-completed scene. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary (1936 - 2022) | Chicago, Illinois 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. That collective experience comes in handy ahead of any major decisions. They look hungry. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Yelp The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. 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. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. Caitie was a manufacturers' representative before becoming a stay-at-home mom. "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. It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. 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. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Find locations. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. 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. Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. 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. 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 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. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. Walter E. Smithe Jr. died peacefully at age 86, his family said in a prepared statement. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. Smithe Family Takeover - Country Magazine "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". All three attended St. Mary's College in Winona, Minn. Walt got an MBA at Notre Dame, Tim got one at Northwestern, and Mark got a law degree at Loyola. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . It was founded by Walter Edward Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945. Luxury Hotels, Travel, Dining, Lifestyle - Haute Living Explore. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. The first change I noticed was it became all about the sons. It was a natural fit, she said. Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. . [3], The company has become well known in the Chicago area for its television commercials, which for decades starred the three Smithe brothers, and now star the four Smithe sisters. Dazzling Divas Glam Mansion Offers the Ultimate Diva Experience, Family Guide to Attending a Chicago Cubs Game at Wrigley Field, Pelvic Floor Therapy Growing in Popularity for Women, 10 Non-Candy Items for Your Kids Easter Basket. Falling asleep. They've transitioned into the spotlight. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Happy Hour With Jeff Lewis + Walter E. Smithe - fountainof30.com 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. Newlyweds can now register for exclusive honeymoon stays and experiences at 23 of Auberge Resorts Collections luxury hotels and resorts worldwide More, With two movies out this winter, the actress and producer Salma Hayek Pinault is at the top of her game More, The star of A Beautiful Noise, which just opened at the Broadhurst Theatre, is a big Neil Diamond fan More, The writer and actor makes his Broadway debut in his just-opened play Aint No Mo More, After flying high in the hit sequel Top Gun: Maverick, Glen Powell stars in the new film Devotion, out now More, It's not enough to just be smart. William Hageman and Tribune staff reporter. 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 . 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. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. It was like the empire jingle. The commercials are created in-house. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Then he and Thorson meet with his brothers and throw ideas around. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . Assuming your a dude your not supposed to understand the commercials. portalId: "6766057", - 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. Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. We learned so much from these relationships, Colleen says. Please enter valid email address to continue. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. Our learning curve has been steep and long, with a lot of challenges, says Colleen, flanked by her sisters at the familys Lincoln Park location, a 10,000-square-foot boutique store. As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. Kyla McCarthy - EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. You want it to succeed and do well.". And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. 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. Is she OK? 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. 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. ("You should keep that hat on for about three weeks. And they wanted a way to build the brand. Young. They're nice folks. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? We don't take that lightly.". They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? They're not egomaniacs. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. "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 Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. (He's now semi-retired, having turned the business over to his sons about 10 years ago.). Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Draftfcb. Opening Day is March 30. CHICAGO The founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has died. 1E, kneenandco.com) continues to add to its Robbe & Berking assortment with the new Martel Bar collection, which features bar cart staples like handmade silver tumblers and cocktail coupes as well as bottle openers and nutcrackers. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. Furniture store patriarch Walter E. Smithe Jr. dies at 86 "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". Their dad, the company's president, continued filming his signature ads with his brother, Mark, for a short period of time, Colleen said. And I thought, `makeup and lighting. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. The Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. 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. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. 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! Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. A few bucks later, the clunker is off to Victory's Bensenville lot. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face of the firm, offering a female perspective that better reflects the company, the industry and the country today. Personally, I dont want to stare at ugly furniture for all those years, Meghan says. Chicago, IL. Today. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! Since 1945, we have been Chicago's local source for quality furniture and expert design. Jamie Sotonoff. If you grew up in Chicago, you can probably hum it. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. Is anyone else annoyed with the new generation of Walter E Smithe Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. Bob's proudly proclaims that it sells cheap garbage, Walter E looks like they're trying to sell you viagra and Penny Mustard radio commercials are justweird.. "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. Find employees, official website, emails, phone numbers, revenue, employee headcount, social accounts, and anything related to Walter E. Smithe Furniture. Hell stand on things, jump on them, do his best to break dining chairs. Nearby is a mangled lamp that will never find its way to a Smithe showroom floor. 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. With 10 years of advertising industry experience, Smithe Parker, daughter of President Walter E. Smithe III, has worked with high-profile advertising agencies in Chicago. 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. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. The implication was that he was doing/looking at something inappropriate. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. The inky accents create a sleek statement against the white walls and lend a streamlined look to the space. Bargain-hunters, take note: Artistica (990 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, artistica.com) has gotten a jumpstart on spring cleaning and updated its clearance selection to include more than 600 items (including custom-painted majolica backsplash panels) discounted by 50 percent. When I first came on board, our industry was very much a good old boys club, says Maureen, who regularly travels to marketplaces around the country to buy merchandise. The brothers are recognized on the street, in grocery stores and coffee shops ("I got a free Starbucks latte once," Tim says). "That is the top priority for the four of us," Meghan Smithe said. "As needs within the business grew, positions opened up organically," Maureen said. Its a constant toggle between work and family talk, notes Colleen, but at the end of the day theyre focused on creating a furniture company that helps clients truly curate a home. 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. 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. Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. 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. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. Last year there aas a commercial where the puppet quickly moved to close his laptop when someone came in the office. 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. "They took different career paths," Tim says. 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! Still, she never dreamed of working full time for Walter E. Smithe Furniture, even while growing up in Barrington with her three sisters, Maureen, Caitie and Colleen. The Bob's puppet is a far better actor than the Smithe girls though. Updating your home theater? Furniture Stores. His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". I love incorporating an unexpected element into a room. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. Favorite design style: Cozy and comfortableaka hygge ethos. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. Still, the Smithes have had to weather various challenges since joining the company, including the retirement of their uncle, Tim. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. 443 were here. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. 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. Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". 70 reviews of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design "This is a really good store for when you hit age 40 or so and realize your house still resembles a college dorm. Walter E. Smithe is a family business in every sense of the word, the sisters say. The sisters can measure the span of their careers by their childrens ages and development, so they clearly understand what its like to worry about furniture at the mercy of young, messy children. One of my friends used to live near Fullerton and Western, and she would always tell people she lived near Tile Outlet. "He'd come up from behind and drop in it on us," Tim says. So is there a `Wally and the Sofa Factory' in our future?". 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. ", Instead they talk about the U2/iTunes takeoff, the brothers' version of "The Apprentice" or the Olympic parody from last year. 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. Start shopping. "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. hbspt.forms.create({ walter e smithe. While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. [4][5] In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans". People are buying a look, but they want it to feel curated and personal., Its up to Maureen and Caitie to monitor the market, make sure the showroom reflects current palettes, while staying a few steps ahead of what is currently trending. 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. officially retires, although he still enjoys visiting showrooms and meeting clients. Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) The sisters are making their official debut in a new campaign theyve recently launched called the Smithe Family Makeovers. Fielding countless applications, the Smithes choose a home where they redesign a space and showcase the full range of interior design services and furnishings Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design offers. and runners at CB2 (800 W. North Ave., cb2.com). The Sisters Behind the Walter E. Smithe Furniture Company - DuJour As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. The Smithes had been encouraged to air their outtakes on television after Tim Smithe screened them at an interior design seminar and received a positive reaction from the crowd. Walter E. Smithe Furniture - Employees, Contact info, Overview - Wiza However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. Mix together different, but complimentary, elements such as woods, metals and stonesand feel free to mix various metals together. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). Further confused by the commercials now. Press J to jump to the feed. No outside agency required. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. walter e smithe, furniture stores near me, ballinger vase buy, gold side end table, tall mirror, walter e smithe daughters, furniture . Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . 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. 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 four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. 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. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. "If our specialties fit those needs, then we were invited to have a conversation and explore the opportunity, but it was never a demand placed on us.". We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. 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. With 16 1/2 children among them (Colleen is due with her third baby this month), the sisters also find work as a time to be togethersans children. Create Comparison. "They're having a lot of fun. In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them.

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