Mormon Population In Gilbert, Az, Patricia Berryman Net Worth, What Happened To Brian Piccolo's Wife, Traverse City Insane Asylum Condos, Dandara Homes Edinburgh, Articles W

The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. 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. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM Tim recalls Walt trying to smother him -- repeatedly, apparently -- with a bean bag chair. As the fourth generation to run their family-owned Chicago furniture store, Walter. "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. They've transitioned into the spotlight. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Its no longer that way.. "That's F-A-M-E, with an E". Nah, I know a few of them. 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. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. (He's now semi-retired, having turned the business over to his sons about 10 years ago.). It was a natural fit, she said. Till your hair grows back."). Shop now. getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled," says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have . "By being so close and meeting so regularly, we're all in the loop with what's happening in each other's sphere. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design (Old Orchard) 17 miles. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. "We were kind of like dorks, geeks, growing up," Mark says. The first order of business: ditch the longstanding, highly recognizable ad campaign featuring their father and two uncles. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. It takes work and sacrifice.. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. Its very much in line with our desire to offer the most beautiful pieces that are of the highest quality. [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. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. 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. walter e smithe furniture inc. Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. Lewis Lazare. So, somewhat reluctantly, they let themselves become the public face of Walter E. Smithe Furniture. Find employees, official website, emails, phone numbers, revenue, employee headcount, social accounts, and anything related to Walter E. Smithe Furniture. 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. 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. Hauldren -- an advertising copywriter who created the character -- first appeared in the ads in 1973. Please enter valid email address to continue. "We're not your parents' furniture company," Caitie said. Itasca, IL 60143. Lewis teamed up with Smithes merchandising team to create in-store vignettes, and also featured the store on his show. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. and runners at CB2 (800 W. North Ave., cb2.com). "They go a long way with a limited budget through the use of creativity," he says. Watch. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). I think people felt sorry for me, assuming that I wasnt getting any sleep and having to come to work every day, says Maureen. 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.. Our lives can be overrun with technology, commitments and schedules. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. Darvin is always yelling about discounts. The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. 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. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. "An hour and a half. "They've done a wonderful job building a distinctive brand," says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. Its a constant toggle between work and family talk, notes Colleen, but at the end of the day theyre focused on creating a furniture company that helps clients truly curate a home. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. High School," Walter says. 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 . 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. Furniture Stores. 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. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. Then they tie in pop culture it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company. Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! Its a tough balance, but I like figuring out the retail puzzle.. With 16 1/2 children among them (Colleen is due with her third baby this month), the sisters also find work as a time to be togethersans children. Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 02:33, https://incfact.com/company/walteresmithefurniture-itasca-il/, Walter E. Smithe gives royal treatment to Royal Manner. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. 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. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. officially retires, although he still enjoys visiting showrooms and meeting clients. Also would somebody please feed them? Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. I can't breathe!' Visit . 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. 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. View a map of participating First Friday locations. - 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!". The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. The Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. He was still spending weekends at Smithe furniture showrooms until recently and he volunteered for many years for Habitat for Humanity, building houses in the U.S. and Central America. Start shopping. I'm so annoyed that I won't buy anything from there. 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. Holly Hunt (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Ste. Then they brought in the wives. 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. 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.