"There are still people who ask us, 'Where are the brothers? 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. As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Spoken like the daughter of a true shop owner, as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. She also sees more demand for curation: Rather than walking into a store and getting an entire matching bedroom or dining set, people are mixing and matching and getting a look thats uniquely theirs., The new ED Ellen DeGeneres furniture collection (now available at all 11 Walter E. Smithe showrooms) allows for just thatand it includes versatile pieces that transcend their typical use. Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. That collective experience comes in handy ahead of any major decisions. To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. 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. "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". And Amy is a singer and songwriter. It was an organic transition for each of us, says Colleen, the youngest sister. We understand that customers see a certain look on, say, Instagram and they want it replicated in their own home, Colleen says. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. There is nothing like a day spent soaking up the sun and a good book or an evening with friends and good food and drinks under the stars. The first change I noticed was it became all about the sons. 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. Explore. We refer to Smithe.com as our 12th store, since many of our clients are doing their research online before coming to see us in person.. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. While we still have traditional pieces, our showroom appeals to a number of different lifestyles. With 10 years of advertising industry experience, Smithe Parker, daughter of President Walter E. Smithe III, has worked with high-profile advertising agencies in Chicago. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. "That was the best part," she said. This rating has improved by 10% over the last 12 months. "Staying fresh, young . Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. This style is out there and we need to respond and get it on our floor. 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. 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. 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. But one by one, they followed Maureen's lead and rejoined the family business. The daughters took over the company. The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. I dont think anyone in the furniture industry does advertising well. As teens, the four sisters worked only part time in their fathers showroom or outlet store, selling furniture and earning their first paychecks along with other eager, cash-strapped teens. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. So as long as strangers keep serenading them with the company jingle instead of pelting them with "Hardrock, Coco and Joe" DVDs, and as long as the business continues to grow, they'll keep doing the ads. My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday, we truly hate the Walter E Smithe commercials with the daughters. 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 said he passed away peacef Smithe says that doing everything in-house allows them to be quick on their feet. Currently, there are 3 generations involved in the business: Walter Smithe Jr is retired, but regularly visits the showrooms. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. 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. One by one, each sister began working in the family 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. Not as long as they keep the commercials clever and topical, O'Neil says. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. Create Comparison. Dazzling Divas Glam Mansion Offers the Ultimate Diva Experience, Family Guide to Attending a Chicago Cubs Game at Wrigley Field, Pelvic Floor Therapy Growing in Popularity for Women, 10 Non-Candy Items for Your Kids Easter Basket. Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 92 reviews left anonymously by employees. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . 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. It turned out so well that Tim carried along a copy to a speaking engagement. "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe said. 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Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. Visit Website (opens in new window) Walter E. Smithe. 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. 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. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. William Hageman and Tribune staff reporter. with Maureen Smithe Brusznicki and Caitie Smithe Jisa at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. Is she OK? 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.. "[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. 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. The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. Hope, once a Smithe designer and store manager, now lives in Colorado with her husband. Compare how recession-proof Walter E. Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. 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.. I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. "We have wonderful clients who are my generation or older, but we have to figure out how we cater to this new generation that's setting up households now. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. Im stunned when people watch one of our makeovers and are surprised that Smithe carries so much of what they like, says Caitie. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, . "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. 2023 Zoe Communications Group | 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite #LL-M974, Chicago, IL 60604 | 708.386.5555 | Website by Web Publisher PRO, ParentEd Talks: Free Virtual Speaker Series, A Concerned Parents Guide to Gun Violence and Gun Safety. [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). 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. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. [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. They were each only a year apart, at one point covering all four grade levels at Barrington High School. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). 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. Walter E. Smithe Jr's death was announced Thursday on the company's Facebook page. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . Press J to jump to the feed. 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. The inky accents create a sleek statement against the white walls and lend a streamlined look to the space. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). They're nice folks. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. portalId: "6766057", So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. He began working in the . Check out the new collection. 443 were here. I presented my ideas for this two weeks ago and it will be out on the floor in three weeks. 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. / CBS Chicago. Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. And I thought, `makeup and lighting. 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 . Now, a lot more people know about us than knew a few years ago.". As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. It stuck in your head. How could they ensure the 75-year-old brand would be sustainable for decades to come? By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. '", "The business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. 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. Someone really needs a new marketing director/CMO/agency because they do not know what they are doing. 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. They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. While their father and grandfather are still actively involved in the day-to-day, the women have taken over the companys marketing, design, advertising and buying effortsand immediately went about altering brand perceptions. 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. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. Walter E. Smithe Furniture is a company located in Itasca, Illinois, United States. Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". Walter E. Smithe III, is the President of family owned and operated Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. His four daughtersMaureen Megan Clarke Caitie Jisa and Colleen Parkerare now the new faces of this historic Chicago brand a spot he and his brothers held for decades. The campaign was inspired in part by a partnership with designer/house-flipper Jeff Lewis of the Bravo show Flipping Out. Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. Primary Address. 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. Nah, I know a few of them. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. When the boys took over from their father, there were about a half-dozen stores. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. E. Smithe sisters Caitie, Colleen, Meghan and Maureen were introduced to the business at a young age. 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. As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. Three generations are involved in the family-run Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, including Walter Smithe Jr. (far right); his sons Walter III (far left) and Mark; and his four granddaughters, from left, Maureen, Caitie, Colleen and Meghan. Contact Information. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. Mix together different, but complimentary, elements such as woods, metals and stonesand feel free to mix various metals together. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. Those early Smithe commercials were straight-forward affairs, with each brother talking about his area of expertise -- Walt discussed the merchandise, Tim the company's designers, and Mark Smithe's delivery system and customer satisfaction -- and, of course, the furniture. The 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. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. Since 1945, we have been Chicago's local source for quality furniture and expert design. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . Let's go Cubbies! The Smithe family announced that their patriarch died this past Sunday with his wife of 64 years, Florence Flynn Smithe, by his side. 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. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. 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. Here, get to know this powerhouse quartet. Smithe guy Walt actually Walter Smithe III 45 is president and general manager of the. High School," Walter says. It's all a part of an effort to hang on to the company's loyal customers while persuading younger shoppers that Walter E. Smithe isn't just their parent's go-to store. 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. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. walter e smithe furniture & design. "It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. "He'd come up from behind and drop in it on us," Tim says. 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