Plus, they seem like nice guys. Find locations. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. We learned so much from these relationships, Colleen says. Contact Information. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. [2] Today, the company has ten showrooms in Illinois and Indiana and is listed by Furniture Today as one of the top one hundred furniture retailers in the United States. 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. The Feldco guy creeps me out more. 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. Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising 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. ", Says Tim Smithe, "Pop culture is always changing and so are we.". The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. At Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, we are committed to helping our clients love their homes through expert design, quality furnishings, and exemplary service. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. 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. Walter was the first of the third generation to join the family business in 1981 . 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. The Smithe sisters have heard it all before, and they've set out to dispel those misperceptions. Whoever said brick-and-mortar is dead hasn't met the Smithe sisters. We can be real nimble when we're this tight and this spread across the business.". "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. 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 . Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. 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. Oct 2012 - Apr 20152 years 7 months. Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. 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. Sometimes you have to act fast. 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. As their father, the company president, has told customers for decades, Life is too short to sit on uncomfortable furniture.. Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. hbspt.forms.create({ For example - my favorite large upholstered dining chairs are under $200. Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. I dont think anyone in the furniture industry does advertising well. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio 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!". The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. Press J to jump to the feed. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. - 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. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. 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. This led to the development of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. 22 miles. 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. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. [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]. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. The 4th generation (the Smithe Sisters), all daughters of Walter III, are Maureen Smithe (buyer), Meghan Smithe (director of marketing), Caitie Smithe (designer, design coordinator and stylist) and Colleen Smithe (director of . Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. "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 a big responsibility. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . Smithe says that doing everything in-house allows them to be quick on their feet. "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? 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.. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). 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. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. 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. You want it to succeed and do well.". 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. Shop now. It was an organic transition for each of us, says Colleen, the youngest sister. It takes work and sacrifice.. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and. Take dress up and glam up a notch with a self-care day at this luxurious spa for kids and tweens. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. "Smithes have fun at the old ballpark". 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. Now, a lot more people know about us than knew a few years ago.". The Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. 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. "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says. Warehouse workers go over every piece of inventory awaiting delivery with a fine-tooth comb, looking for things an untrained eye would never see. "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . We don't take that lightly.". 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. Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. 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"[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". 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. It was founded by Walter Edward Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945. And youll see each of my sisters doing what they do best.. "In what seems to be their unending and over-the-top zeal to self-promote, they just may be helping drive traffic," he wrote, adding, "If nothing else, the advertising suggests the chain has some suits with personality attached. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. Walter has been known to take furniture for test drives, says Meghan. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. "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. [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. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. Caitie, Colleen, Maureen and Meghan Smithe represent the fourth generation helping run their Chicago-based family furniture store, Walter E. Smithe, and they're determined not to be the last. Edit: I have been informed that they are the daughters, not the wives. / CBS Chicago. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. Tags: Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article, Home & Garden, Interior Design. Here, get to know this powerhouse quartet. Now, the Itasca-based furniture and interior design company wants you to get to know the Smithe sisters. - Linn Burton: He started selling appliances in Polk Bros. ads in 1953, but the majority of his 35-year TV career was spent hawking cars -- Kaisers, Frazers, Joe Rizza's Pontiacs and, most famously, Bert Weinman's Fords. While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. Walter E. Smithe Jr. died peacefully at age 86, his family said in a prepared statement. Today. That was the extent of his pitchman career. "As needs within the business grew, positions opened up organically," Maureen said. Through March 7, EuroFurniture (2145 W. Grand Ave., eurofurniture.com) is offering 15 percent off BDI media cabinets and consoles available in-store, online, and by phone. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, - Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. 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. 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. By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . ". walter e smithe. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. Subscribe for free today! Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. is headquartered in Itasca, IL. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. 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. A matte black bathtub, vanity mirrors and hardware pop against the airy walls in this modern primary bathroom. We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. and became working moms in different industries. 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. 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. 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! Start shopping. Someone really needs a new marketing director/CMO/agency because they do not know what they are doing. Shop the Sofa Sale. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. "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. "We're not your parents' furniture company," Caitie said. "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". 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. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. 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. 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, Maureen and Meghan. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. First published on October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM. E. Smithe sisters Caitie, Colleen, Meghan and Maureen were introduced to the business at a young age. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. Additional partnerships with the likes of Cynthia Rowley and Ellen Degeneres have exposed the company to a new customer base. Walter e smithe daughters. Main Telephone (630) 285-8000. Chicagoans came to know and appreciate the three Smithe brothers who starred for years in quirky TV commercials touting their family-run furniture company. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. His daughters were hesitant at first, questioning whether they were ready for such a responsibility. Walter E. Smithe III, is the President of family owned and operated Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Haute Living is a network of luxury publications with bimonthly regional editions in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. Visit . Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. That collective experience comes in handy ahead of any major decisions.