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. 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 business grew in popularity as they approached adulthood, at which point friends would regularly sing the jingle and colleagues would ask about the creative TV ads. 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 . Introduced to the family business at an early ageI can recall pigtails in my hair, getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled, says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have embraced their own roles for the Itasca, Illinois-based company; Meghan is director of marketing, Colleen is director of advertising, Maureen is a buyer, and Caitie is a designer. And youll see each of my sisters doing what they do best.. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. 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. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. Itasca, IL 60143. 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. So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. '", "I was at a gym on a treadmill," Mark says of the first time he caught one of the commercials. Our lives can be overrun with technology, commitments and schedules. 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. Reviews on Outlet Walter E Smithe in Glendale Heights, IL 60139 - Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, Toms Price Home, The Dump Furniture Outlet, Ashley HomeStore, The RoomPlace, Roy's Furniture, Domicile }); Chicago Parent is Chicagolands trusted parenting hub since 1984. "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. The boys' first ventures into the working world included Walt's daily paper route -- 70 Tribunes, three or four Sun-Times and a couple of Wall Street Journals -- that Tim helped him with ("I got 1 cent per paper, and I'd give Tim 10 cents for helping me"), and collecting beer cans that they resold at a Park Ridge flea market. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. "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. Most recently, she was at . That was the extent of his pitchman career. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. 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. Also would somebody please feed them? Zajdel was a driver for Victory when he made the commercial a quarter-century ago. The Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. I only hear them on the radio. Bloomingdale Plaza. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". They can really do great things. It was like the empire jingle. Multi Location Business. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. Press J to jump to the feed. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. Walter E. Smithe wants to create a series of similar videos to give customers a behind-the-scenes look at their services and the company. Find employees, official website, emails, phone numbers, revenue, employee headcount, social accounts, and anything related to Walter E. Smithe Furniture. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. Walter has been known to take furniture for test drives, says Meghan. Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. 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. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. [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. It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Sisters Colleen, Meghan, Maureen and Caitie Smithe, from left, say three key words have helped them carry their family-run furniture company into a fourth generation: fresh, young and relevant. 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 business's namesakeand the sisters' uncles, Mark and Tim. His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Walter E. Smithe told me they work with many designers but Jeff was really able to get a lot of value into the pieces in his collection and that its why . We had no grand plan.. Mark admonished Walt to keep his feet off the furniture. hbspt.forms.create({ Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. Now, the Itasca-based furniture and interior design company wants you to get to know the Smithe sisters. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. First published on October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM. We are sad to announce that on October 9, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Walter E. Smithe Jr. of Chicago, Illinois. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? Meghan can recall her pigtails bouncing as she ran through the Walter E. Smithe warehouse as a young girl, pulling sales tags in exchange for a nickel or dime from her grandfather, Walter Smithe Jr. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. 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. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. 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. 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. 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. "There are still people who ask us, 'Where are the brothers? Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. They're nice folks. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. 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. 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. In recent years, Smithe enjoyed his time with extended family. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny 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. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. 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 business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. walter e smithe furniture inc. 177 East Army Trail Road, Glendale Heights, IL 60139. In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. 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Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. The daughters took over the company. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. Visit Website (opens in new window) Walter E. Smithe. Now its only the wives and zero about the furniture. 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. 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. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! 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. Since 1945 the company has . "By being so close and meeting so regularly, we're all in the loop with what's happening in each other's sphere. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. "They took different career paths," Tim says. 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. Its a tough balance, but I like figuring out the retail puzzle.. The Smithe sisters have always been close -- and growing up, it wasn't always by choice. walter e smithe furniture & design. "That is the top priority for the four of us," Meghan Smithe said. I'm so annoyed that I won't buy anything from there. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. "We wanted to entertain people first, so then when we wanted to inform them they'd already be paying attention," Tim says of their advertising philosophy. She sounds annoyed that the spill isn't absorbing, like there's some insurance scheme that hinges on being able to stain this white couch. walter e smithe. and runners at CB2 (800 W. North Ave., cb2.com). Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. We connect families with the best local resources, advice, stories, things to do with kids and much more. Lewis Lazare. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . "They've done a wonderful job building a distinctive brand," says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. Currently, there are 3 generations involved in the business: Walter Smithe Jr is retired, but regularly visits the showrooms. walter e smithe, furniture stores near me, ballinger vase buy, gold side end table, tall mirror, walter e smithe daughters, furniture . Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. When the boys took over from their father, there were about a half-dozen stores. Shop the clearance. Start shopping. The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. And they're not showbiz types. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. 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 the first opportunities to test their compatibility was through a partnership with interior designer and TV personality Jeff Lewis. But always start from a place where we love each other and enjoy working together., Between the ages of 10 and 18, former Barrington High School soccer, For Olympian Patrick Gasienica, ski jumping has been a part of his, Dr. Rekha S. Rajan has devoted her personal and professional life to, One of the most prestigious dance companies in the world, The Joffrey, Saint Anne Catholic Community Churchs Project Hope ministry, A night of sequin-studded disco fever, the 5th Annual Hoosier Ball was. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. walter e smithe. As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. 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. Here, get to know this powerhouse quartet. It said he passed away peacef 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 . 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. 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. "And a woman was there with her daughter, and she nudged her and I heard her say, 'That's the Walter E. Smithe guy.' For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". 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. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. But one by one, they followed Maureen's lead and rejoined the family business. But the sisters also know they can always turn to the leaders who came before them. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. Shop now. You want it to succeed and do well.". My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday, we truly hate the Walter E Smithe commercials with the daughters. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he 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. The original simple jingle and slogan was perfect. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. We understand that customers see a certain look on, say, Instagram and they want it replicated in their own home, Colleen says. There is no rule book that says they all need to matchmetals always compliment one another. The girls have all worked elsewhere before they came to work here, says Walter of his daughters who have had careers ranging from merchandising to advertising. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. "An hour and a half. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. Favorite design style: Clean and neutral. Walter E. Smithe also is changing up its ads. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. 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. 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. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. 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.
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