Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta, Room Request: Four Seasons Hotel Bogota Casa Medina, New Restaurants and Bars in New York City, Clare V., Mulberry and More New Retail Openings in NYC, Tony Robbins Challenge to Provide 1 Billion Meals Nears its Goal, Get behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. Multi Location Business. Happy Hour With Jeff Lewis + Walter E. Smithe - fountainof30.com The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. 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. And Amy is a singer and songwriter. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? We had no grand plan.. Edit: I have been informed that they are the daughters, not the wives. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR, When Maureen Smithe returned from maternity leave after giving birth to identical twin daughters last August (children number five and six for those keeping count), she was puzzled by the pained looks she received from some of her colleagues. Walter E. Smithe - Wikipedia "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. Plus, they seem like nice guys. I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. 443 were here. - 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!". They've relaunched catalogs showcasing their furniture in fully designed spaces. Most recently, she was at . View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). Smithe Parker leads Walter E. Smithe advertising First there were the brothers. Now the Walter E. Smithe - Pinterest "They've done a wonderful job building a distinctive brand," says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. 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. Then the commercial came on. Contents. walter e smithe, furniture stores near me, ballinger vase buy, gold side end table, tall mirror, walter e smithe daughters, 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. Were not trying to portray an image that working mothers can pull off everything without something falling through, Maureen says candidly. Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design Reviews - Glassdoor Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray. Tim recalls Walt trying to smother him -- repeatedly, apparently -- with a bean bag chair. Darvin is always yelling about discounts. 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. I dont think anyone in the furniture industry does advertising well. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. Furniture Stores. After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. Lewis Lazare. 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. They pointed out how affordable the pieces are. Moms of 17 juggle the Chicago-based family business How could they ensure the 75-year-old brand would be sustainable for decades to come? "[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". Further confused by the commercials now. Walter E. SMITHE: Employee Directory | ZoomInfo.com 20 White Bathroom Design Ideas | HGTV That sentiment applies to their lively commercials, too, which frequently feature the sisters chatting on a stylish couch or gathering with family members in a beautifully staged home. Opening Day is March 30. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. Hauldren -- an advertising copywriter who created the character -- first appeared in the ads in 1973. 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 . Walter e smithe daughters. My sisters and I loved being a part of it.. walter e smithe furniture - inc. walter e smithe furniture. Walter E. Smithe is a family business in every sense of the word, the sisters say. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. 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. 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. Watch. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. ". The original simple jingle and slogan was perfect. The chemistry among this familial foursome is something parents can only hope for from their children. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. The company's commercials were originally straightforward descriptions of their products and services, but in 2003, the brothers decided to include outtakes from past filmings, which showed the brothers stumbling over words and laughing at each other. Primary Address. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. ("You should keep that hat on for about three weeks. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Assuming your a dude your not supposed to understand the commercials. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. Get Eric Clark's email address (e*****@smithe.com) and phone number at RocketReach. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. For instance, finding that perfect piece of decorative furniture that creatively doubles as a toy box for kids games, toys and video devices. 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 all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. Then he and Thorson meet with his brothers and throw ideas around. The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. 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. "Staying fresh, young . Mix together different, but complimentary, elements such as woods, metals and stonesand feel free to mix various metals together. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Chicago's Furniture Store and (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. You could say that the Smithes are a bit obsessed with quality. My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday, we truly hate the Walter E Smithe commercials with the daughters. I only hear them on the radio. Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. "The girls have all worked elsewhere before coming back to Smithe," says Walter of his daughters who have had careers ranging from merchandising to 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. Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. Its very much in line with our desire to offer the most beautiful pieces that are of the highest quality. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. What are they up to?' At Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, we are committed to helping our clients love their homes through expert design, quality furnishings, and exemplary service. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. There is no rule book that says they all need to matchmetals always compliment one another. The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. Jamie Sotonoff. Check out the new collection. [6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. /r/Chicago is the place to discuss and stay updated on the daily happenings of Chicago, Illinois, USA. We don't take that lightly.". As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. 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 . So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. 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. Walter E. Smithe III, the company's president, and his four beautiful Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. If you grew up in Chicago, you can probably hum it. 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. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. "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'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. 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. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. 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. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. Shop the label. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. 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. It was an organic transition for each of us, says Colleen, the youngest sister. We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. "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. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. 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. Walter Smithe, president of the furniture company, climbs the stairs March 21, 2017, at the Walter E. Smithe furniture store in Oak Brook, alongside his four daughters, Colleen, from left, Caitie, Maureen and Meghan. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. Explore. and runners at CB2 (800 W. North Ave., cb2.com). And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. "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. between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. "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. Sometimes you have to act fast. The Feldco guy creeps me out more. What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . Bloomingdale Plaza. Best Outlet Walter E Smithe near Glendale Heights, IL 60139 - Yelp I also think, coming from a family business myself, to see how they interact with each other just gives you the feeling that they're good people, that you'd want to do business with those people.". In the late '60s, the growing family -- there are also four sisters, Cindy, Margie and . We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Home Cities Chicago Meet the Smithe Sisters, The new generation is shaking things up at furniture icon Walter E. Smithe. Their dad, the company's president, continued filming his signature ads with his brother, Mark, for a short period of time, Colleen said. "And of course this summer's blockbuster is supposed to be `Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.' It was like the empire jingle. 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. - 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 company gained national exposure from Lewis' collection, and each sister was able to shine in her own specialty. "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. 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. Walter E. Smithe Near You in Vernon Hills, Illinois - furniture walter e smithe. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. Press J to jump to the feed. "We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". We can be real nimble when we're this tight and this spread across the business.". 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. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. Walter E. Smithe Furniture - Employees, Contact info, Overview - Wiza (847) 933-1481. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. The four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. The Bob's puppet is a far better actor than the Smithe girls though. Smithe Family Takeover - Country Magazine Walter E. Smithe Trade In Sale - YouTube Walter E. Smithe Jr., Founder of Popular Chicago-Area Furniture Company Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. 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. "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe said. Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design 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. Our lives can be overrun with technology, commitments and schedules. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. Postpartum bladder leaks are common but there's help. 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. 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. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers.