You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. 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. "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. 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. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. They can really do great things. 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. 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. We had no grand plan.. "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. They're not egomaniacs. Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. 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 . The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. Pinterest. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . What The Walter E. Smithe Daughters Do . Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary. The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. It was founded by Walter Edward Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). It was a natural fit, she said. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. The Empire Carpet Guy, of course. - 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. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. 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. (He's now semi-retired, having turned the business over to his sons about 10 years ago.). "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. Its no longer that way.. As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. Some ways to do this include mixing fabrics and leathers such as pairing linens with velvets, shag rugs, fur throws, organic elements such as rattan and bamboo even the reflective-ness of chrome can add texture to a room! [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. 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. 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.". Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think. walter e smithe furniture inc. The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. Check out the new collection. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The fourth generation of Smithe leadership is hoping that this young, fresh approach to advertising and marketing will resonate with a consumer base that hasnt yet shopped with Smithe before. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. 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. / CBS Chicago. Last year there aas a commercial where the puppet quickly moved to close his laptop when someone came in the office. 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. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. "As needs within the business grew, positions opened up organically," Maureen said. Please enter valid email address to continue. It was like the empire jingle. He NEVER blinks. 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. Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. Caitie was a manufacturers' representative before becoming a stay-at-home mom. "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.". And it's not uncommon for their kids to make cameo appearances in advertisements or to help sort through fabric samples, "which would technically make it a five-generation business," Maureen says. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. The Smithe sisters have heard it all before, and they've set out to dispel those misperceptions. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . E. Smithe sisters Caitie, Colleen, Meghan and Maureen were introduced to the business at a young age. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. One spot was modeled after Apple's weird commercials. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. It stuck in your head. 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. But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. We connect families with the best local resources, advice, stories, things to do with kids and much more. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. 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 . 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. 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. "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. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse, sweeping for a nickel, Colleen says of the brand, which first opened in 1945. Draftfcb. 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.". Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. 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. Tim recalls Walt trying to smother him -- repeatedly, apparently -- with a bean bag chair. Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Smithe. 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. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising The company gained national exposure from Lewis' collection, and each sister was able to shine in her own specialty. Take dress up and glam up a notch with a self-care day at this luxurious spa for kids and tweens. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. 74% of employees would recommend working at Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design to a friend and 70% have a positive outlook for the business. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. It's fun to be part of Chicago in that way.". That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. They seem very pretentious I think. 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. 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. 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. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Walter E. Smithe also is changing up its ads. We've got the radar out for that," Tim Smithe says. ", Instead they talk about the U2/iTunes takeoff, the brothers' version of "The Apprentice" or the Olympic parody from last year. Main Telephone (630) 285-8000. The inky accents create a sleek statement against the white walls and lend a streamlined look to the space. "They're having a lot of fun. Press J to jump to the feed. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Lewis Lazare. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years," Meghan said. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. "It was kind of a neat way to kick off our involvement in the business as a group.". Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. Bob's proudly proclaims that it sells cheap garbage, Walter E looks like they're trying to sell you viagra and Penny Mustard radio commercials are justweird.. No outside agency required. The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. "Instead we did it on the turn of a dime. In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. "That is the top priority for the four of us," Meghan Smithe said. The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. '", "The business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. 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. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. Lewis Lazare. 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. They got on each other's nerves and learned to talk quickly at the dinner table if they wanted to get a word in. [4][5] In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans". Walter E. SMITHE corporate office is located in 1775 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 60004, United States and has 382 employees. You want it to succeed and do well.". "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". Holly Hunt (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Ste. But I never forget that these are my sisters and I completely respect them. Edit: I have been informed that they are the daughters, not the wives. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Tim, 41, is the vice president of sales; he and his wife have four kids and live in Winnetka. [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. 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. "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. "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. 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. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. The Feldco guy creeps me out more. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. Their advertising is creative, it's timely and it's interesting, so people remember it and they like it.". 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. Shop now. "[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. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". What are they up to?' As the fourth generation to run their family-owned Chicago furniture store, Walter. 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. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. Young. For example - my favorite large upholstered dining chairs are under $200. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. While we still have traditional pieces, our showroom appeals to a number of different lifestyles. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . 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. At that age, it was very exciting to come home and brag that we sold maybe hundreds or thousands of dollars in furniture, Meghan recalls. Brothers Walt, Tim and Mark Smithe -- the faces of Walter E. Smithe Furniture -- seem to have hit on something with their ubiquitous ads. The company has become known over the years in particular for its quirky TV commercials Chicago TV viewers have long known the jingle, "Walter E. Smithe, you dream it we build it." Itasca, IL 60143. 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. CHICAGO The founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has died. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. Further confused by the commercials now. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. Hope, once a Smithe designer and store manager, now lives in Colorado with her husband. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. A matte black bathtub, vanity mirrors and hardware pop against the airy walls in this modern primary bathroom. ". Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, - Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. 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. He also hosted telethons. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. 70 reviews of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design "This is a really good store for when you hit age 40 or so and realize your house still resembles a college dorm. Walter e smithe daughters. 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. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. [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). They pointed out how affordable the pieces are. View a map of participating First Friday locations. Contents. The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. Meghan Smithe was on maternity leave when she began working part time in the family business, long known for its infectious jingle: You dream it, we build it.. This led to the development of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. 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. We can be real nimble when we're this tight and this spread across the business.". Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. "And there's 10 televisions, all tuned to the same station. The spot showed the brothers at a news conference announcing that they had purchased Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, with plans to rename it Walter E. Smithe Field. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. The transition took place over the span of 12 years as key positions became available in the company, starting with Maureen who became a merchandise buyer. In the late '60s, the growing family -- there are also four sisters, Cindy, Margie and . So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. His sons, Walter, Tim, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. Currently, there are 3 generations involved in the business: Walter Smithe Jr is retired, but regularly visits the showrooms. 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. Chicagoans came to know and appreciate the three Smithe brothers who starred for years in quirky TV commercials touting their family-run furniture company. Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. "That's F-A-M-E, with an E". "We were kind of like dorks, geeks, growing up," Mark says. Now, the Itasca-based furniture and interior design company wants you to get to know the Smithe sisters. It's pretty surprising they are still playing on these tired sexist tropes in this day and age. 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. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. Lewis teamed up with Smithes merchandising team to create in-store vignettes, and also featured the store on his show. But he soon returned to the family furniture business that his father first started in 1945, and pioneered the concept of custom-order furniture in the Chicago area. "There was some physical violence between the brothers," Walt says with that satisfied look of a big brother who got to dish it out. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. But even as likable as the brothers are, do they run the risk of oversaturation or going to the well too often? Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. Jamie Sotonoff. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. What she does: Come up with ideas that get people off their couch and into our storesand put my sisters in awkward positions (see our commercials)., What she does: Whether were working or just hanging out, my Type A personality keeps us organized and on track.. 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. 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. "We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". 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. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. }); Chicago Parent is Chicagolands trusted parenting hub since 1984. I can't breathe!' As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . 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. Relevant. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. 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. Let's go Cubbies! Multi Location Business. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. Since 1945, we have been Chicago's local source for quality furniture and expert design. Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . Nah, I know a few of them. Were not trying to portray an image that working mothers can pull off everything without something falling through, Maureen says candidly. Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly. By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. 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. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. [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. The four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. They've transitioned into the spotlight. 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. Start shopping. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. In one of their most memorable ads, the four women get into a food fight -- spaghetti and red wine included -- and seemingly destroy a bright white couch, which is then scrubbed clean. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. Explore. Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. Not as long as they keep the commercials clever and topical, O'Neil says. "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. Its unnerving. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois.