Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. Lewis Lazare. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. 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. Growing up, she and her sisters held various roles at the furniture and design firm, earning their first paychecks and gaining job experience and exploring interests that would later launch their careers. Not as long as they keep the commercials clever and topical, O'Neil says. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. Walter e smithe daughters. To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial. 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 learned so much from these relationships, Colleen says. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. 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. "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. 9615 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 60077. We don't take that lightly.". "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). 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.". 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Smithe. - 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. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. [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. "If you think of furniture commercials, it's always just panning a showroom with obnoxious graphics," says O'Neil, who has directed all the Smithe commercials. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. "And of course this summer's blockbuster is supposed to be `Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.' "They're having a lot of fun. Hope, once a Smithe designer and store manager, now lives in Colorado with her husband. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. Is she OK? Haute Living is a network of luxury publications with bimonthly regional editions in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. 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. "They took different career paths," Tim says. But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. 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. 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. USA. If you grew up in Chicago, you can probably hum it. You want it to succeed and do well.". "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. Sisters Colleen, Meghan, Maureen and Caitie Smithe, from left, say three key words have helped them carry their family-run furniture company into a fourth generation: fresh, young and relevant. For decades, the public faces of the privately owned company have been the sisters father, Walter E. Smithe IIIthe 59-year-old grandson of the businesss namesakeand the sisters uncles, Mark and Tim. "[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". "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. "It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. 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. They can really do great things. A matte black bathtub, vanity mirrors and hardware pop against the airy walls in this modern primary bathroom. Then he and Thorson meet with his brothers and throw ideas around. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. A new collection at Holly Hunt, discounts at EuroFurniture, a First Friday event at Hubbard Woods Design District, and more. We had no grand plan.. Our lives can be overrun with technology, commitments and schedules. Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. 177 East Army Trail Road, Glendale Heights, IL 60139. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. How could the Itasca-based company break the mold and reach a new audience while still carrying its message into a fourth generation? 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. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years," Meghan said. In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. The company gained national exposure from Lewis' collection, and each sister was able to shine in her own specialty. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. The daughters took over the company. [6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. Get 5 free searches. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. / CBS Chicago. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. Relevant. getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled," says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have . Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. Most recently, she was at . Or "Hardrock, Coco and Joe." Sometimes you have to act fast. We dont always agree on things, Colleen says. 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. This rating has improved by 10% over the last 12 months. "We're custom, so we can create everything, but we need to get the right mix out there to give people ideas," said Meghan Smithe, the company's director of marketing. Bloomingdale Plaza. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. [4], Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. I love the one where they are drinking what looks like Tang out of wine glasses. Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 02:33, https://incfact.com/company/walteresmithefurniture-itasca-il/, Walter E. Smithe gives royal treatment to Royal Manner. Shop the clearance. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. I can't breathe!' CHICAGO The founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has died. Start shopping. portalId: "6766057", In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. We've got the radar out for that," Tim Smithe says. This style is out there and we need to respond and get it on our floor. Favorite design style: Modern mixed with traditional. Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. Contact Information. Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly. Opening Day is March 30. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. (847) 933-1481. 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. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Shop now. 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. "We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something..
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