While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. 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. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. First there were the brothers. Now the Walter E. Smithe - Pinterest She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. Currently, there are 3 generations involved in the business: Walter Smithe Jr is retired, but regularly visits the showrooms. As their father, the company president, has told customers for decades, Life is too short to sit on uncomfortable furniture.. 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. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. - 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!". Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Home - Facebook 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. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. "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.". The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. It was an organic transition for each of us, says Colleen, the youngest sister. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. '", "I was at a gym on a treadmill," Mark says of the first time he caught one of the commercials. 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. Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. 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. "It's a big responsibility. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Corporate Profile - Winmo "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. Furniture store patriarch Walter E. Smithe Jr. dies at 86 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. At-a-glance. 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 is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". The Smithe sisters have always been close -- and growing up, it wasn't always by choice. 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. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. 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. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. The Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. William Hageman and Tribune staff reporter. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). The Smithe brothers commercials Chicagoans are used to were great for getting the Walter E. Smithe name out, but the new ads put the focus back on the furniture and design services, said Meghan Smithe. Walter E Smithe Daughters - Josephine Goodwin Blogs Tags: Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article, Home & Garden, Interior Design. "They're having a lot of fun. Sometimes you have to act fast. Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. View a map of participating First Friday locations. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. She had been a buyer for Abercrombie and Fitch for a few years after college when a job opened up in the Smithe merchandising office. Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Edit: I have been informed that they are the daughters, not the wives. We don't take that lightly.". His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising Smithe Parker leads Walter E. Smithe advertising Now, a lot more people know about us than knew a few years ago.". 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. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. is headquartered in Itasca, IL. Eric Clark email address & phone number | Walter E. Smithe Furniture My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. "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. At Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, we are committed to helping our clients love their homes through expert design, quality furnishings, and exemplary service. It was a natural fit, she said. 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. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. The Smithe family announced that their patriarch died this past Sunday with his wife of 64 years, Florence Flynn Smithe, by his side. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). I always suggest going with whatever color or colors are most pleasing to you, but some big color trends this spring are oranges, pinks, sage green and pastel blue. The daughters took over the company. Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? "And a woman was there with her daughter, and she nudged her and I heard her say, 'That's the Walter E. Smithe guy.' Visit Website (opens in new window) Walter E. Smithe. A new collection at Holly Hunt, discounts at EuroFurniture, a First Friday event at Hubbard Woods Design District, and more. So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . But learning how to work together while also juggling their busy personal lives -- they have 18 kids among the four of them -- can be a delicate balance. 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. He was still spending weekends at Smithe furniture showrooms until recently and he volunteered for many years for Habitat for Humanity, building houses in the U.S. and Central America. Today. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. There have been more than a thousand of them since, and thanks to the magic of cable TV he is now a national celebrity. Who are these guys? This led to the development of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. 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. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. 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. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. 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. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. 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. portalId: "6766057", Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. and became working moms in different industries. "That is the top priority for the four of us," Meghan Smithe said. The sisters get together at least twice a week, traveling from their homes in Chicago, Barrington and Riverside, leaving behind their children, husbands and home duties. 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. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. Compare how recession-proof Walter E. Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. The 4th generation (Walter III's daughters) join the business after careers in their respective fields; Maureen in 2002, Meghan in 2014, Caitie in 2015, and Colleen in 2016. The Sisters Behind the Walter E. Smithe Furniture Company - DuJour In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. Please enter valid email address to continue. To their delight, the reaction to that initial campaign was primarily positive, as has been the case for every commercial they've produced since. They pointed out how affordable the pieces are. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. My sisters and I loved being a part of it.. "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. "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. For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . Pinterest. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . 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 . 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. They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled," says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have . To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial. 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. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. 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. 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. Moms of 17 juggle the Chicago-based family business Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. Till your hair grows back."). As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. The brothers are recognized on the street, in grocery stores and coffee shops ("I got a free Starbucks latte once," Tim says). 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. We are sad to announce that on October 9, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Walter E. Smithe Jr. of Chicago, Illinois. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . walter e smithe furniture inc. And in between the entertainment were his folksy commercials for Courtesy Motors -- his cars were "honeys" and "sweeties" -- which at one point was the world's largest Ford dealer. Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. "And of course this summer's blockbuster is supposed to be `Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.' "[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. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. A family affair: How four sisters are bringing a 75-year-old store into What are they up to?' Walter E. Smithe Trade In Sale - YouTube "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Yelp 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. 177 East Army Trail Road, Glendale Heights, IL 60139. 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 inky accents create a sleek statement against the white walls and lend a streamlined look to the space. 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.