walter e smithe. Relevant. The campaign was inspired in part by a partnership with designer/house-flipper Jeff Lewis of the Bravo show Flipping Out. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. "They go a long way with a limited budget through the use of creativity," he says. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. The daughters took over the company. 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 . 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. We learned so much from these relationships, Colleen says. A new collection at Holly Hunt, discounts at EuroFurniture, a First Friday event at Hubbard Woods Design District, and more. It's partnered with celebrity designers and broadened the mix of products carried in stores, online and in its resurrected catalog to include more current trends and a wider range of price points. As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. As their father, the company president, has told customers for decades, Life is too short to sit on uncomfortable furniture.. 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. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. Walter E. Smithe also is changing up its ads. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". The brothers are recognized on the street, in grocery stores and coffee shops ("I got a free Starbucks latte once," Tim says). This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. 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. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. 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. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. 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. 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. That's why when she and her three sisters -- Maureen, Meghan and Caitie -- were asked a few years ago to transition into the role their father and uncles held for so long, they weren't immediately receptive. 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. "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.". The first change I noticed was it became all about the sons. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). She had been a buyer for Abercrombie and Fitch for a few years after college when a job opened up in the Smithe merchandising office. A matte black bathtub, vanity mirrors and hardware pop against the airy walls in this modern primary bathroom. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. 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. We had no grand plan.. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. And they're not showbiz types. 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. 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. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. I love incorporating an unexpected element into a room. 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. with Maureen Smithe Brusznicki and Caitie Smithe Jisa at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. "An hour and a half. 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. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. Edit: I have been informed that they are the daughters, not the wives. They pointed out how affordable the pieces are. "[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". Falling asleep. She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. 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. 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. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . Lewis Lazare. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. "Staying fresh, young . "Instead we did it on the turn of a dime. For instance, finding that perfect piece of decorative furniture that creatively doubles as a toy box for kids games, toys and video devices. [4], In March, 2017, daughters of Walter E. Smithe III became the fourth generation of the Smithe family to be featured in the commercials.[8]. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. High School," Walter says. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. 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 . Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta, Room Request: Four Seasons Hotel Bogota Casa Medina, New Restaurants and Bars in New York City, Clare V., Mulberry and More New Retail Openings in NYC, Tony Robbins Challenge to Provide 1 Billion Meals Nears its Goal, Get behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . They've transitioned into the spotlight. They seem very pretentious I think. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. 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. (He's now semi-retired, having turned the business over to his sons about 10 years ago.). Walter E. Smithe III, is the President of family owned and operated Walter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. It stuck in your head. 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. That can help Walter E. Smithe differentiate itself from the growing number of lower-priced furniture retailers that have moved into the Chicago area in the past couple of years, Walter Smithe said. "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". Some ways to do this include mixing fabrics and leathers such as pairing linens with velvets, shag rugs, fur throws, organic elements such as rattan and bamboo even the reflective-ness of chrome can add texture to a room! Their dad, the company's president, continued filming his signature ads with his brother, Mark, for a short period of time, Colleen said. Favorite design style: Clean and neutral. "What about you and your sisters?". Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. . Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. "We're all rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty. walter e smithe furniture & design. 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. How could the Itasca-based company break the mold and reach a new audience while still carrying its message into a fourth generation? But the truth is, I love coming to the office. Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. What are they up to?' Haute Living is a network of luxury publications with bimonthly regional editions in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. 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 Smithe sisters have always been close -- and growing up, it wasn't always by choice. "They took different career paths," Tim says. 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.. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . 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 feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. Further confused by the commercials now. However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. They've relaunched catalogs showcasing their furniture in fully designed spaces. It was a natural fit, she said. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. 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. 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. For the most part, that relationship translates well in the business world, they say. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. Smithe says that doing everything in-house allows them to be quick on their feet. Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. Explore. It takes work and sacrifice.. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. Additional partnerships with the likes of Cynthia Rowley and Ellen Degeneres have exposed the company to a new customer base. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Spoken like the daughter of a true shop owner, as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. 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. This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. The answer -- and the sisters' secret to success -- can be summed up in three key words: Fresh. Holly Hunt (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Ste. Those early Smithe commercials were straight-forward affairs, with each brother talking about his area of expertise -- Walt discussed the merchandise, Tim the company's designers, and Mark Smithe's delivery system and customer satisfaction -- and, of course, the furniture. Smithe guy Walt actually Walter Smithe III 45 is president and general manager of the. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary. And youll see each of my sisters doing what they do best.. As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room..
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