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. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. Subscribe for free today! Explore. 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. [4], Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled," says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have . The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. 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. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". 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.". Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. Whoever said brick-and-mortar is dead hasn't met the Smithe sisters. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. My sisters and I loved being a part of it.. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. "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. In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. They're not egomaniacs. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. 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. I'm so annoyed that I won't buy anything from there. But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. Itasca, IL 60143. Now, a lot more people know about us than knew a few years ago.". There have been more than a thousand of them since, and thanks to the magic of cable TV he is now a national celebrity. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. 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.. Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. 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 they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. The Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. Darvin is always yelling about discounts. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. The implication was that he was doing/looking at something inappropriate. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. Warehouse workers go over every piece of inventory awaiting delivery with a fine-tooth comb, looking for things an untrained eye would never see. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. 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. "By being so close and meeting so regularly, we're all in the loop with what's happening in each other's sphere. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. They were each only a year apart, at one point covering all four grade levels at Barrington High School. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. 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. Main Telephone (630) 285-8000. 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 autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. 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. Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. Tim offered Walt brotherly support after a just-completed scene. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. It was like the empire jingle. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. Still, the Smithes have had to weather various challenges since joining the company, including the retirement of their uncle, Tim. The four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. He NEVER blinks. Get Eric Clark's email address (e*****@smithe.com) and phone number at RocketReach. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. 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. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. The girls have all worked elsewhere before they came to work here, says Walter of his daughters who have had careers ranging from merchandising to advertising. "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. "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. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. "There was some physical violence between the brothers," Walt says with that satisfied look of a big brother who got to dish it out. Bargain-hunters, take note: Artistica (990 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, artistica.com) has gotten a jumpstart on spring cleaning and updated its clearance selection to include more than 600 items (including custom-painted majolica backsplash panels) discounted by 50 percent. Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. - 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. To their delight, the reaction to that initial campaign was primarily positive, as has been the case for every commercial they've produced since. They have a younger brother, who lives out of state, and plenty of younger cousins who have yet to join the team, though the sisters say there's still time. "An hour and a half. Now its only the wives and zero about the furniture. 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. Then the commercial came on. We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. 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. 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. For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. Create Comparison. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Since 1945 the company has . 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 CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". 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. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. Young. (847) 933-1481. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . with Maureen Smithe Brusznicki and Caitie Smithe Jisa at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II. 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. A new collection at Holly Hunt, discounts at EuroFurniture, a First Friday event at Hubbard Woods Design District, and more. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. No surprise why the quality is so crap. 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 Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. 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. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. 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. Its no longer that way.. 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.. Favorite design style: Cozy and comfortableaka hygge ethos. "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". 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 are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . Now, the Itasca-based furniture and interior design company wants you to get to know the Smithe sisters. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. Press J to jump to the feed. 9615 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 60077. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And I thought, `makeup and lighting. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. 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Walt (actually Walter Smithe III), 45, is president and general manager of the company; he and his wife have five kids and live in Barrington Hills. Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. In family businesses, thats the only way to ensure a companys continued success. Today, Maureen is a buyer, Meghan is the director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and assists the merchandising team, and Colleen is the director of advertising.