Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. "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. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. The Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . Walter E. Smithe - Wikipedia Determine whether Walter E. Smithe Furniture grew or shrank during the last recession. Im stunned when people watch one of our makeovers and are surprised that Smithe carries so much of what they like, says Caitie. 20 White Bathroom Design Ideas | HGTV "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. ", Instead they talk about the U2/iTunes takeoff, the brothers' version of "The Apprentice" or the Olympic parody from last year. 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. Last year there aas a commercial where the puppet quickly moved to close his laptop when someone came in the office. We connect families with the best local resources, advice, stories, things to do with kids and much more. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary. Smithe Parker leads Walter E. Smithe advertising Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. 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 . Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. Young. "It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial. Favorite design style: Cozy and comfortableaka hygge ethos. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". Lewis Lazare. The chemistry among this familial foursome is something parents can only hope for from their children. Nothing is left unchanged, Meghan notes. "[7] Maria Coons, a marketing teacher at Harper College, has also defended the advertisements, telling a Daily Herald reporter, "Some people who aren't in that [30 to 60 year old] demographic might consider them dorky, but for their target market, they're not. walter e smithe, furniture stores near me, ballinger vase buy, gold side end table, tall mirror, walter e smithe daughters, furniture . ". He cites the U2 music video takeoff. They're nice folks. 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. What happened to the Walter E Smithe guys? - Cowetaamerican.com - 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. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years," Meghan said. 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. "[5] Of the commercials, Tim Smithe has said, "We wanted to entertain people first, so then when we wanted to inform them they'd already be paying attention". I love the one where they are drinking what looks like Tang out of wine glasses. Subscribe for free today! Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. 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. Brothers Walt, Tim and Mark Smithe -- the faces of Walter E. Smithe Furniture -- seem to have hit on something with their ubiquitous ads. First there were the brothers. Now the Walter E. Smithe - Pinterest Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. "If we'd done that with a large agency, it would have been flying people in from New York and storyboards and approvals along the way," he says. Walter E Smithe Daughters - Aniya Hendrix Trends Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. Walter E Smithe Daughters - Josephine Goodwin Blogs Its no longer that way.. 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. Furniture store patriarch Walter E. Smithe Jr. dies at 86 For people who are in their 40s and have families, that's how brothers act around each other when they get together. 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. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . President - Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design - LinkedIn He entertained the youngest generation of the family playing banjo and singing folk songs such as "The Rock Island Line," and telling stories of Tiny Tim and the Magic Gumball Machine, his obit said. High School," Walter says. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". 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. 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. Get 5 free searches. Read on to find out more about pelvic floor therapy and how it's growing in popularity among postpartum women. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. The Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. To their delight, the reaction to that initial campaign was primarily positive, as has been the case for every commercial they've produced since. walter e smithe furniture inc. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . "There was some physical violence between the brothers," Walt says with that satisfied look of a big brother who got to dish it out. 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 Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. It's pretty surprising they are still playing on these tired sexist tropes in this day and age. Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. 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. We had no grand plan.. 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. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. 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. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday, we truly hate the Walter E Smithe commercials with the daughters. Holly Hunt (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Ste. How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? Edit: I have been informed that they are the daughters, not the wives. Colleen Smithe - Director of Advertising - Walter E. Smithe Furniture Luxury Hotels, Travel, Dining, Lifestyle - Haute Living Four sisters carry the Walter E. Smithe brand into the future USA. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. 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. Its unnerving. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. Falling asleep. portalId: "6766057", "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. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. He began working in the . ("You should keep that hat on for about three weeks. 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 said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". Smithe guy Walt actually Walter Smithe III 45 is president and general manager of the. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. It was a natural fit, she said. As their father, the company president, has told customers for decades, Life is too short to sit on uncomfortable furniture.. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. 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. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. Bloomingdale Plaza. That was the extent of his pitchman career. Walter has been known to take furniture for test drives, says Meghan. What she does: I make spaces beautiful for clients homes, our catalogs and showrooms, and play couples therapist for clients who cant agree on a sofa.. Favorite design style: Modern mixed with traditional. They look hungry. Walter E. Smithe Jr., head of family furniture dynasty, dead at 86 I'm so annoyed that I won't buy anything from there. 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. 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. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. They decided on an ad campaign that would, simply, pitch their product. getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled," says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have . What she does: "I make spaces beautiful for clients' homes, our catalogs and showrooms, and play couples' therapist for clients who can't agree on a sofa." Favorite design style: Modern mixed with traditional. Walter E. Smithe III, the company's president, and his four beautiful Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. Their advertising is creative, it's timely and it's interesting, so people remember it and they like it.". They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. "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. But they still manage to get out to their stores about once a week, touching base with their employees, surprising customers or hosting events such as book signings or wine tastings. Sisters Take Smithe Spotlight, More High-End Barware, and a Sofa Sale, 2020 Chicago magazine / A Chicago Tribune Media Group website, map of participating First Friday locations, Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. Please enter valid email address to continue. But I never forget that these are my sisters and I completely respect them. The commercials were being shot at a studio in Northfield and would result in enough footage for dozens of TV ads to appear over the next six months. "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.". "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. When Smithe makes a furniture delivery, Its not uncommon for our crews to bring a 25-year-old sofa with a Smithe sticker on it back to this warehouse, Meghan says. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. I dont think anyone in the furniture industry does advertising well. 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. Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. Personally, I dont want to stare at ugly furniture for all those years, Meghan says. 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. It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray. And I thought, `makeup and lighting. You could say that the Smithes are a bit obsessed with quality. Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. We can be real nimble when we're this tight and this spread across the business.". This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. "It's always positive, and it's nice to be part of it. Jamie Sotonoff. 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. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. If you grew up in Chicago, you can probably hum it. 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. They're going to be the ones buying furniture for the next 50 years, so we have to be ready to serve them the way they want to be served," said Walter Smithe, 57. We don't take that lightly.". Shop the Sofa Sale. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. There have been more than a thousand of them since, and thanks to the magic of cable TV he is now a national celebrity. She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary (1936 - 2022) | Chicago, Illinois 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. Spoken like the daughter of a true shop owner, as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. Walter E. SMITHE: Employee Directory | ZoomInfo.com Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Take dress up and glam up a notch with a self-care day at this luxurious spa for kids and tweens. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe . Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. Warehouse workers go over every piece of inventory awaiting delivery with a fine-tooth comb, looking for things an untrained eye would never see. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Smithe. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? Three years later, she recruited Colleen to become advertising director -- a position she accepted without hesitation. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, . Hauldren -- an advertising copywriter who created the character -- first appeared in the ads in 1973. "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe said. William Hageman and Tribune staff reporter. 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. Best Outlet Walter E Smithe near Glendale Heights, IL 60139 - Yelp Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. Were not trying to portray an image that working mothers can pull off everything without something falling through, Maureen says candidly. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. "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. Walter E. Smithe Furniture: Contact Details and Business Profile 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. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. And Amy is a singer and songwriter. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. Assuming your a dude your not supposed to understand the commercials. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. Their dad, the company's president, continued filming his signature ads with his brother, Mark, for a short period of time, Colleen said. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. Sibling revelry - Chicago Tribune 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.". "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". 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. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. "If you think of furniture commercials, it's always just panning a showroom with obnoxious graphics," says O'Neil, who has directed all the Smithe commercials. Relevant. So is there a `Wally and the Sofa Factory' in our future?". 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. "They go a long way with a limited budget through the use of creativity," he says. Then they brought in the wives. 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. Happy Hour With Jeff Lewis + Walter E. Smithe - fountainof30.com "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. Walter E. Smithe Furniture founder, Walter E. Smithe Jr., dies at 86 Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? 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. 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. 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. 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. A family affair: How four sisters are bringing a 75-year-old store into Even if you weren't sure that Walt, Tim and Mark Smithe were brothers -- yep, those Smithe brothers, of "Walter E. Smithe, you dream it, we build it" fame -- their banter at a recent commercial shoot was a dead giveaway. 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. We all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. - 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. 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. [4], In March, 2017, daughters of Walter E. Smithe III became the fourth generation of the Smithe family to be featured in the commercials.[8]. One of the first opportunities to test their compatibility was through a partnership with interior designer and TV personality Jeff Lewis. Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Meghan Smithe was on maternity leave when she began working part time in the family business, long known for its infectious jingle: You dream it, we build it.. Since 1945, we have been Chicago's local source for quality furniture and expert design. "Instead we did it on the turn of a dime. Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. Itasca, IL 60143. The Sisters Behind the Walter E. Smithe Furniture Company - DuJour - Nick Celozzi and Maury Ettleson: Starting in the early '70s, they waved fistfuls of cash at TV viewers and reminded everyone that Celozzi-Ettleson Chevrolet in Elmhurst was "Where you always save more money!". At that age, it was very exciting to come home and brag that we sold maybe hundreds or thousands of dollars in furniture, Meghan recalls. 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. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. [4], Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. Working at Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design | Glassdoor Lewis Lazare. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design 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.". Their interactions were zany, their dialogue lighthearted, their catchy jingle -- "you dream it, we build it" -- recognizable throughout the region. 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.
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