Newlyweds can now register for exclusive honeymoon stays and experiences at 23 of Auberge Resorts Collections luxury hotels and resorts worldwide More, With two movies out this winter, the actress and producer Salma Hayek Pinault is at the top of her game More, The star of A Beautiful Noise, which just opened at the Broadhurst Theatre, is a big Neil Diamond fan More, The writer and actor makes his Broadway debut in his just-opened play Aint No Mo More, After flying high in the hit sequel Top Gun: Maverick, Glen Powell stars in the new film Devotion, out now More, It's not enough to just be smart. Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. But when they finally decided to accept, they knew they needed to come up with a unique and effective way to introduce themselves to the Chicago market as the new faces of Walter E. Smithe. She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. "They're having a lot of fun. "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. - 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!". Or "Hardrock, Coco and Joe." As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. 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. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. In a new seven-minute "Smithe Family Makeover" video, you'll only see one Smithe brother and you'll only hear the new version of the familiar jingle if you watch all the way through to the credits. Colleen Smithe, Director of Advertising
Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Yelp Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design.
Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Maureen Smithe and Caitie Smithe "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie . "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. I presented my ideas for this two weeks ago and it will be out on the floor in three weeks. Then the commercial came on. So is there a `Wally and the Sofa Factory' in our future?". 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. 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. Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) 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 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. 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. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said.
Kyla McCarthy - EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki 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. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'".
Smithe Family Takeover - Country Magazine The answer -- and the sisters' secret to success -- can be summed up in three key words: Fresh. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. 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. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. Smithe says that doing everything in-house allows them to be quick on their feet. 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. 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. Their advertising is creative, it's timely and it's interesting, so people remember it and they like it.". Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. 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. 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. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. Lewis Lazare. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Smithe.
Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture, dies at 86 Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. 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. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. Walter E. Smithe, Jr. joined the business in the 1960s with his brothers Gary and Tomm, and began phasing out appliances to focus on custom upholstery. "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe 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. "It's a big responsibility. Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. Main Telephone (630) 285-8000. Were often building on what we see resonating in the market and what is interesting and beautiful at the moment., Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is coming off a successful year of strategic partnerships with Bravo TVs Jeff Lewis and interior designer Cynthia Rowley. Find employees, official website, emails, phone numbers, revenue, employee headcount, social accounts, and anything related to Walter E. Smithe Furniture. Walter E. Smithe Furniture is a company located in Itasca, Illinois, United States. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Not as long as they keep the commercials clever and topical, O'Neil says. Were not trying to portray an image that working mothers can pull off everything without something falling through, Maureen says candidly. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. An added factor in the commercials' success are the brothers, who come across as regular guys. What The Walter E. Smithe Daughters Do . But the sisters also know they can always turn to the leaders who came before them. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. My sisters and I represent the viewpoint of our younger clientele, Meghan says. Pinterest.
Walter E. Smithe Furniture founder, Walter E. Smithe Jr., dies at 86 "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think. Multi Location Business. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . Shop the Sofa Sale. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends.
Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. Compare how recession-proof Walter E. Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall.
20 White Bathroom Design Ideas | HGTV When the boys took over from their father, there were about a half-dozen stores. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. 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. Now its only the wives and zero about the furniture. It was a natural fit, she said. CHICAGO The founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has died. Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years.
A family affair: How four sisters are bringing a 75-year-old store into Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. 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. 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. The daughters took over the company. "That is the top priority for the four of us," Meghan Smithe said. 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 . and runners at CB2 (800 W. North Ave., cb2.com).
Sisters Take Smithe Spotlight, More High-End Barware, and a Sofa Sale About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen.
Happy Hour With Jeff Lewis + Walter E. Smithe - fountainof30.com I love incorporating an unexpected element into a room. The four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. ". 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. But even as likable as the brothers are, do they run the risk of oversaturation or going to the well too often? We've got the radar out for that," Tim Smithe says. Find locations. What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. 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.. "We were kind of like dorks, geeks, growing up," Mark says. They seem very pretentious I think. Warehouse workers go over every piece of inventory awaiting delivery with a fine-tooth comb, looking for things an untrained eye would never see.
Is anyone else annoyed with the new generation of Walter E Smithe He also hosted telethons. 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. Favorite design style: Cozy and comfortableaka hygge ethos. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". Jamie Sotonoff. So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. Contents. "Case in point, I was just this morning sketching out my first ideas for The Three Tenors, featuring, of course, the Smithe brothers in a coliseum.
Walter E. Smithe Jr., Founder of Popular Chicago-Area Furniture Company You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe . 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. 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. "[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. No surprise why the quality is so crap. A wake will be held at Ryan-Parke Funeral Home in Park Ridge on Friday, Oct. 21, and a funeral mass will follow on Saturday, Oct. 22, and St. Paul of the Cross Church in Park Ridge. 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. walter e smithe. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary. Its no longer that way.. 443 were here. 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. 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.". A few bucks later, the clunker is off to Victory's Bensenville lot. We are sad to announce that on October 9, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Walter E. Smithe Jr. of Chicago, Illinois. 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. 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. Till your hair grows back."). Shop the label. 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. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon.
Meet The Walter E. Smithe Furniture Sisters - Luxe - Design Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Corporate Profile - Winmo The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and. 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. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. [6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. 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.. 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. Instead of starring third-generation brothers Walter III, Tim, and Mark, the new ones put the spotlight on fourth-generation sisters Caitie, Meghan, Maureen, and Colleen. So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. . 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. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. I only hear them on the radio.
Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design Still, she never dreamed of working full time for Walter E. Smithe Furniture, even while growing up in Barrington with her three sisters, Maureen, Caitie and Colleen. One spot was modeled after Apple's weird commercials. Subscribe to one or more of our free e-mail newsletters to get instant updates on local news, events, and opportunities in Chicago. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. First published on October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) 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. Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. 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. 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. "They've done a wonderful job building a distinctive brand," says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. The store, which has 10 locations in the Chicago area, has been open for nearly 75 years and has faced all the challenges of .
Four sisters carry the Walter E. Smithe brand into the future A matte black bathtub, vanity mirrors and hardware pop against the airy walls in this modern primary bathroom. "I was invited to speak to 300-some designers in Oak Brook," he says.
Eric Clark email address & phone number | Walter E. Smithe Furniture 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. They can really do great things. In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" He began working in the . You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. Im stunned when people watch one of our makeovers and are surprised that Smithe carries so much of what they like, says Caitie. Furniture Stores. I can't breathe!' Walter has been known to take furniture for test drives, says Meghan. "That's F-A-M-E, with an E". "It's always positive, and it's nice to be part of it. 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.. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. Determine whether Walter E. Smithe Furniture grew or shrank during the last recession. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. Mark admonished Walt to keep his feet off the furniture. 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 e smithe, furniture stores near me, ballinger vase buy, gold side end table, tall mirror, walter e smithe daughters, furniture . 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. 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. Still, the Smithes have had to weather various challenges since joining the company, including the retirement of their uncle, Tim. In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. "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. "That was the best part," she said. 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. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. Zajdel was a driver for Victory when he made the commercial a quarter-century ago. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Walter E. Smithe - Wikipedia The sisters laughed at hearing this family adage, knowing that home furnishing has been woven into the tapestry of their lives. 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. and became working moms in different industries. Young. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. Check out the new collection. [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. Its a tough balance, but I like figuring out the retail puzzle..
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