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About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. Today. Chicago, IL. Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. Now its only the wives and zero about the furniture. Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. "He'd come up from behind and drop in it on us," Tim says. [1] 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 advertising). 9615 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 60077. The journey from Point A to Point B started with an all-blooper and outtakes reel that O'Neil and Tim Smithe put together as a birthday gift for mom Florence. 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", Darvin is always yelling about discounts. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. The chemistry among this familial foursome is something parents can only hope for from their children. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. The four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. Plus, they seem like nice guys. Get 5 free searches. Last year there aas a commercial where the puppet quickly moved to close his laptop when someone came in the office. 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. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? Sip A Negroni While Exploring This Stunning New Home Boutique, Peruse Artisan-Crafted Collections At This Chicago Boutique, Fresh And Feminine Vibes Rule This Winnetka Boutique, Whats In Store At Chicagos New Must-See Surface Destination, 3 Things To Know About The Latest RH Gallery, Do Not Sell Or Share My Personal Information. After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. Multi Location Business. Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. I love incorporating an unexpected element into a room. The commercials are created in-house. 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 "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? (847) 933-1481. William Hageman and Tribune staff reporter. Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) 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. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. You could say that the Smithes are a bit obsessed with quality. - 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. Home Cities Chicago Meet the Smithe Sisters, The new generation is shaking things up at furniture icon Walter E. Smithe. 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. Postpartum bladder leaks are common but there's help. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. 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. "That's F-A-M-E, with an E". The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. [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]. His sons, Walter, Tim, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. 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. 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.". You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe . Itasca, IL 60143. ("You should keep that hat on for about three weeks. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. 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. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! "They go a long way with a limited budget through the use of creativity," he says. Lewis Lazare. Around the same time, Caitie was ready to return to the workforce as a designer and stylist, a skill she had honed early in her career. It takes work and sacrifice.. Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. "And a woman was there with her daughter, and she nudged her and I heard her say, 'That's the Walter E. Smithe guy.' Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. Walter E. SMITHE corporate office is located in 1775 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 60004, United States and has 382 employees. Who are these guys? [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. 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! Tags: Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article, Home & Garden, Interior Design. Walter was the first of the third generation to join the family business in 1981 . For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Bloomingdale Plaza. "What about you and your sisters?". We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . Walter E. Smithe III, is the President of family owned and operated Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . / CBS Chicago. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and. "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. 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. The brothers are recognized on the street, in grocery stores and coffee shops ("I got a free Starbucks latte once," Tim says). In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. 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. 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. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. "Instead we did it on the turn of a dime. 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. The Smithe sisters have heard it all before, and they've set out to dispel those misperceptions. A few bucks later, the clunker is off to Victory's Bensenville lot. Later, both Tim and Mark were night managers at competing convenience stores, Tim at a 7-Eleven in Niles and Mark at a Park Ridge White Hen. Now, the Itasca-based furniture and interior design company wants you to get to know the Smithe sisters. It was founded by Walter Edward Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Mix together different, but complimentary, elements such as woods, metals and stonesand feel free to mix various metals together. Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly. One of my friends used to live near Fullerton and Western, and she would always tell people she lived near Tile Outlet. 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. How could they ensure the 75-year-old brand would be sustainable for decades to come? Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? The Feldco guy creeps me out more. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. The brothers spend most of their time in the company's Itasca headquarters, which also serves as a warehouse, customer service center and point of departure for the fleet of Smithe trucks. "It was kind of a neat way to kick off our involvement in the business as a group.". Hope, once a Smithe designer and store manager, now lives in Colorado with her husband. hbspt.forms.create({ There is no rule book that says they all need to matchmetals always compliment one another. 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. While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. Chicagoans came to know and appreciate the three Smithe brothers who starred for years in quirky TV commercials touting their family-run furniture company. 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. She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. No outside agency required. It turned out so well that Tim carried along a copy to a speaking engagement. Weird. 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. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Contents. My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. "As needs within the business grew, positions opened up organically," Maureen said. And they wanted a way to build the brand. 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. Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe said. walter e smithe furniture & design. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. walter e smithe. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". Pinterest. 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. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. Lewis Lazare. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. Since 1945 the company has . "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. Colleen, Caitie, Meghan and Maureen Smithe, all between the ages of 33 and 37, represent the fourth generation of the family business and are daughters of company President Walter Smithe, the grandson of the business's namesake. 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. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. 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. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. Shop the clearance. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. 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. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. '", "The business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. Contact Information. And it's those commercials, always informative and usually silly, that have the Smithe brothers walking in the footsteps of Linn Burton and the Empire Carpet Guy as Chicago TV commercial icons. "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.". Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . 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. 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 rating has improved by 10% over the last 12 months. Cindy went to college in Iowa and settled there after school. The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . About. "The majority of what we run is informational and tells about the company, but those aren't the ones people are talking about at the water cooler. 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. 443 were here. 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. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. "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. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. But the sisters also know they can always turn to the leaders who came before them. How could the Itasca-based company break the mold and reach a new audience while still carrying its message into a fourth generation? (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. ", Says Tim Smithe, "Pop culture is always changing and so are we.". "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years," Meghan said. walter e smithe furniture - inc. walter e smithe furniture. Indian Trail, High Street intersection work approved in Aurora, Suspect in high-speed chase crashes into, kills veteran Indiana State Trooper trying to stop him: officials, Educators get peek at Paramount play about artificial intelligence which is set to tour schools, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. 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. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. They're nice folks. Walter E. Smithe Furniture is a company located in Itasca, Illinois, United States. 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. The sisters laughed at hearing this family adage, knowing that home furnishing has been woven into the tapestry of their lives. It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. "[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". 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. 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. He NEVER blinks. We can be real nimble when we're this tight and this spread across the business.". 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. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. 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. with Maureen Smithe Brusznicki and Caitie Smithe Jisa at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. What are they up to?' Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. 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. 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 . A 2005 advertisement showed Mark and Tim Smithe dueling with CGI-enhanced lamps in an homage to the lightsaber duels of the Star Wars films. and became working moms in different industries. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. 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. Then the commercial came on. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. View a map of participating First Friday locations. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. 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. "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". Ellen is very serious about design and had a definite voice in what this modern-rustic-meets-farmhouse collection would be. 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. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. One of the first opportunities to test their compatibility was through a partnership with interior designer and TV personality Jeff Lewis. 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. 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. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". And I thought, `makeup and lighting. 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. Haute Living is a network of luxury publications with bimonthly regional editions in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II. Zajdel was a driver for Victory when he made the commercial a quarter-century ago.