walter e smithe daughters walter e smithe daughters

Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. "That's F-A-M-E, with an E". Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. That collective experience comes in handy ahead of any major decisions. 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. 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. "We wanted to entertain people first, so then when we wanted to inform them they'd already be paying attention," Tim says of their advertising philosophy. He began working in the . But repeated airings of the ad have made him and his door legendary. Not as long as they keep the commercials clever and topical, O'Neil says. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! 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. The Smithe brothers commercials Chicagoans are used to were great for getting the Walter E. Smithe name out, but the new ads put the focus back on the furniture and design services, said Meghan Smithe. 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. 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. Hauldren -- an advertising copywriter who created the character -- first appeared in the ads in 1973. "We were kind of like dorks, geeks, growing up," Mark says. We not only respect this, we embrace it.. The Smithes had been encouraged to air their outtakes on television after Tim Smithe screened them at an interior design seminar and received a positive reaction from the crowd. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. Read the rest of the issue. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". 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. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday, we truly hate the Walter E Smithe commercials with the daughters. 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. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. 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. 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. Im stunned when people watch one of our makeovers and are surprised that Smithe carries so much of what they like, says Caitie. At-a-glance. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". "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. Now its only the wives and zero about the furniture. 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. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. They're nice folks. Walter E. Smithe Jr's death was announced Thursday on the company's Facebook page. [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. 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. So much misogyny in these comments, their commercials have always been cheesy and annoying. - 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. Till your hair grows back."). As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. 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. Ask how we can add diversity to your supply chain. Jamie Sotonoff. "Staying fresh, young . 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's now semi-retired, having turned the business over to his sons about 10 years ago.). "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.". Get 5 free searches. It was founded by Walter Edward Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. Home Cities Chicago Meet the Smithe Sisters, The new generation is shaking things up at furniture icon Walter E. Smithe. Walter e smithe is a high end furniture store, no surprise their ads are geared towards middle aged women from high income households aka suburban moms. The commercials are created in-house. 177 East Army Trail Road, Glendale Heights, IL 60139. 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 business's namesakeand the sisters' uncles, Mark and Tim. Cindy went to college in Iowa and settled there after school. Nothing is left unchanged, Meghan notes. Read on to find out more about pelvic floor therapy and how it's growing in popularity among postpartum women. Walter E. Smithe Furniture is a company located in Itasca, Illinois, United States. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. 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. "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe said. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. One spot was modeled after Apple's weird commercials. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. 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. Primary Address. Watch. Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Whoever said brick-and-mortar is dead hasn't met the Smithe sisters. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design (Old Orchard) 17 miles. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. 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. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). In the late '60s, the growing family -- there are also four sisters, Cindy, Margie and twins Hope and Amy, none of whom is involved in the family business -- moved to a slightly larger home in Park Ridge. 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. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. I only hear them on the radio. Then they brought in the wives. Shop the clearance. Darvin is always yelling about discounts. 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. A new book offers a primer on how to spot, seize, and exploit and create lucky breaks More, Two new must-visit hotels from Austin to Houston More, Shop Patek Philippe timepieces, Oiya bracelets and a Miami-based skincare brand More, Plan a day of relaxation at Pressed Roots and The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas More, Raise a glass to our favorite new French-inspired bistros, charming piano bars and bold Italian eateries in Manhattan More, From shoes to handbags, here are the new boutiques to visit in New York City More, The best-selling author, entrepreneur and global philanthropist continues a push with Feeding America to provide 1 billion meals More, Were Over The Moon About This New Travel Registry, 2022 Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Edible Presents, Room Request! 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. We all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. Favorite design style: Clean and neutral. 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. "Instead we did it on the turn of a dime. It's fun to be part of Chicago in that way.". [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). Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. 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. "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? Explore. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. View a map of participating First Friday locations. }); Chicago Parent is Chicagolands trusted parenting hub since 1984. Tags: Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article, Home & Garden, Interior Design. "They've done a wonderful job building a distinctive brand," says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . They pointed out how affordable the pieces are. We are sad to announce that on October 9, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Walter E. Smithe Jr. of Chicago, Illinois. The Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. "It's always positive, and it's nice to be part of it. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. 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. One of my friends used to live near Fullerton and Western, and she would always tell people she lived near Tile Outlet. - 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. 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. Who are these guys? "And a woman was there with her daughter, and she nudged her and I heard her say, 'That's the Walter E. Smithe guy.' Last year there aas a commercial where the puppet quickly moved to close his laptop when someone came in the office. The sisters get together at least twice a week, traveling from their homes in Chicago, Barrington and Riverside, leaving behind their children, husbands and home duties. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. 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. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. Three years later, she recruited Colleen to become advertising director -- a position she accepted without hesitation. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. Press J to jump to the feed. "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. 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. Contents. Subscribe for free today! Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. Postpartum bladder leaks are common but there's help. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. There's a certain time and simplicity factor, so from the time of the idea to the time we shoot it can be as short as a week.". "[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". "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. "They go a long way with a limited budget through the use of creativity," he says. "That was the best part," she said. Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. No surprise why the quality is so crap. They're not egomaniacs. But one by one, they followed Maureen's lead and rejoined the family business. After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. Sometimes you have to act fast. 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. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. The campaign was inspired in part by a partnership with designer/house-flipper Jeff Lewis of the Bravo show Flipping Out. As their father, the company president, has told customers for decades, Life is too short to sit on uncomfortable furniture.. The implication was that he was doing/looking at something inappropriate. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. 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 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." - 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!". Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) 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 . 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.. "We're not your parents' furniture company," Caitie said. 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. Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie . "What about you and your sisters?". Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. [4][5] In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans". My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. "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. . 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. 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. Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. Tim, 41, is the vice president of sales; he and his wife have four kids and live in Winnetka. By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. The sisters laughed at hearing this family adage, knowing that home furnishing has been woven into the tapestry of their lives. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. 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 . People are buying a look, but they want it to feel curated and personal., Its up to Maureen and Caitie to monitor the market, make sure the showroom reflects current palettes, while staying a few steps ahead of what is currently trending. No outside agency required. We had no grand plan.. Multi Location Business. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. 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. "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. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. 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. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. 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. 443 were here. There is no rule book that says they all need to matchmetals always compliment one another. He NEVER blinks. Also would somebody please feed them? There are so many cool and unique materials being used to manufacture furniture these dayssuch as capiz shells, bone inlay, faux shagreen, concrete, rope and slate. 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. Its no longer that way.. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. Walter E. Smithe III, is the President of family owned and operated Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. 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. Today. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Ellen is very serious about design and had a definite voice in what this modern-rustic-meets-farmhouse collection would be. How could the Itasca-based company break the mold and reach a new audience while still carrying its message into a fourth generation? "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says. 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. 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. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. Create Comparison. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. 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. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM And they wanted a way to build the brand. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. One of the first opportunities to test their compatibility was through a partnership with interior designer and TV personality Jeff Lewis. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. ", Instead they talk about the U2/iTunes takeoff, the brothers' version of "The Apprentice" or the Olympic parody from last year. 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. "An hour and a half. I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. The store, which has 10 locations in the Chicago area, has been open for nearly 75 years and has faced all the challenges of . 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. Caitie was a manufacturers' representative before becoming a stay-at-home mom. Weird. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . His sons, Walter, Tim, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design advertising has featured everything from parodies of "The Price Is Right" to a 2013 classic in which the Smithe brothers got into a wrestling ring with Billy Corgan. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. Let's go Cubbies! 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. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Its very much in line with our desire to offer the most beautiful pieces that are of the highest quality. 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. They got on each other's nerves and learned to talk quickly at the dinner table if they wanted to get a word in. "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". "They took different career paths," Tim says. So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. There have been more than a thousand of them since, and thanks to the magic of cable TV he is now a national celebrity. and became working moms in different industries. To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial.