They were each only a year apart, at one point covering all four grade levels at Barrington High School. When I first came on board, our industry was very much a good old boys club, says Maureen, who regularly travels to marketplaces around the country to buy merchandise. The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. "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. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. Personally, I dont want to stare at ugly furniture for all those years, Meghan says. 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. An added factor in the commercials' success are the brothers, who come across as regular guys. "As needs within the business grew, positions opened up organically," Maureen said. We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". 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. Currently, there are 3 generations involved in the business: Walter Smithe Jr is retired, but regularly visits the showrooms. The commercials were being shot at a studio in Northfield and would result in enough footage for dozens of TV ads to appear over the next six months. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. The Feldco guy creeps me out more. 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. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". Here, get to know this powerhouse quartet. They seem very pretentious I think. Subscribe for free today! It was like the empire jingle. When the boys took over from their father, there were about a half-dozen stores. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980.
Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Smithe Furniture, dies at 86 [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). Lewis Lazare. 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. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. 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. 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. Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. - 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!". That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. 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. So is there a `Wally and the Sofa Factory' in our future?". "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years. Check out the new collection. We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . A new collection at Holly Hunt, discounts at EuroFurniture, a First Friday event at Hubbard Woods Design District, and more. It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. But even as likable as the brothers are, do they run the risk of oversaturation or going to the well too often? To their delight, the reaction to that initial campaign was primarily positive, as has been the case for every commercial they've produced since. My sisters and I represent the viewpoint of our younger clientele, Meghan says.
They've relaunched catalogs showcasing their furniture in fully designed spaces.
Walter E. Smithe Furniture - Employees, Contact info, Overview - Wiza 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. It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray.
Moms of 17 juggle the Chicago-based family business We connect families with the best local resources, advice, stories, things to do with kids and much more.
The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. 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 took different career paths," Tim says. Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. 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. "[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 almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. Walter E. SMITHE corporate office is located in 1775 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 60004, United States and has 382 employees. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. Smithe brothers aim for 'Sex' appeal in latest quirky commercial, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walter_E._Smithe&oldid=1127865487, This page was last edited on 17 December 2022, at 02:33. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. 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. No surprise why the quality is so crap. "What about you and your sisters?". It stuck in your head. Today. Home Cities Chicago Meet the Smithe Sisters, The new generation is shaking things up at furniture icon Walter E. Smithe. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral .
Walter E. Smithe Trade In Sale - YouTube 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.
Four sisters carry the Walter E. Smithe brand into the future Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. 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. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. 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. (847) 933-1481. His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". But the truth is, I love coming to the office. 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.
Someone really needs a new marketing director/CMO/agency because they do not know what they are doing. Since 1945 the company has .
Walter E. Smithe - Wikipedia 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. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. The implication was that he was doing/looking at something inappropriate. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. 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 . For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. Caitie was a manufacturers' representative before becoming a stay-at-home mom. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. I love incorporating an unexpected element into a room. [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. 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.
Eric Clark email address & phone number | Walter E. Smithe Furniture But one by one, they followed Maureen's lead and rejoined the family business. 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. Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. View a map of participating First Friday locations. Get Eric Clark's email address (e*****@smithe.com) and phone number at RocketReach.
A family affair: How four sisters are bringing a 75-year-old store into 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. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. 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. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. Their advertising is creative, it's timely and it's interesting, so people remember it and they like it.". It was a natural fit, she said. "It's a big responsibility. One of my friends used to live near Fullerton and Western, and she would always tell people she lived near Tile Outlet. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. 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. 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.
Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design (Old Orchard) 17 miles. While we still have traditional pieces, our showroom appeals to a number of different lifestyles. Oct 2012 - Apr 20152 years 7 months. 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. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. Who are these guys? She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. Ask how we can add diversity to your supply chain. Woven Roman shades, a jute rug and a blonde wood vanity usher texture and warmth into the otherwise minimalist design. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Jamie Sotonoff. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. "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.". 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Smithe. 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. After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. Nah, I know a few of them. But I never forget that these are my sisters and I completely respect them. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. No outside agency required. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. 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. The business grew in popularity as they approached adulthood, at which point friends would regularly sing the jingle and colleagues would ask about the creative TV ads. I presented my ideas for this two weeks ago and it will be out on the floor in three weeks. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. Read on to find out more about pelvic floor therapy and how it's growing in popularity among postpartum women. 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.. walter e smithe, furniture stores near me, ballinger vase buy, gold side end table, tall mirror, walter e smithe daughters, furniture . "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? One spot was modeled after Apple's weird commercials. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. The first change I noticed was it became all about the sons.
Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design Let's go Cubbies! 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. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. 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. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. 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. We not only respect this, we embrace it.. We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says.