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Watch. Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. 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. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. CHICAGO The founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has died. We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". They seem very pretentious I think. "It's a big responsibility. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. The Bob's puppet is a far better actor than the Smithe girls though. Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. and runners at CB2 (800 W. North Ave., cb2.com). The spot showed the brothers at a news conference announcing that they had purchased Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, with plans to rename it Walter E. Smithe Field. 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. 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. The company made its website easier to use and more modern-looking. Walter E. Smithe Jr's death was announced Thursday on the company's Facebook page. "The majority of what we run is informational and tells about the company, but those aren't the ones people are talking about at the water cooler. And youll see each of my sisters doing what they do best.. 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. William Hageman and Tribune staff reporter. We are sad to announce that on October 9, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Walter E. Smithe Jr. of Chicago, Illinois. 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. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". Furniture Stores. 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. 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. His daughters were hesitant at first, questioning whether they were ready for such a responsibility. Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II. Walter E. Smithe is a family business in every sense of the word, the sisters say. Their advertising is creative, it's timely and it's interesting, so people remember it and they like it.". His sons, Walter, Tim, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery, and operates ten showrooms throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. 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. 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. 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. Sibling revelry; Their offbeat commercials have made the Smithe brothers cult heroes. 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. How, they wondered, would longtime customers respond to four new female faces on their television screens? But always start from a place where we love each other and enjoy working together., Between the ages of 10 and 18, former Barrington High School soccer, For Olympian Patrick Gasienica, ski jumping has been a part of his, Dr. Rekha S. Rajan has devoted her personal and professional life to, One of the most prestigious dance companies in the world, The Joffrey, Saint Anne Catholic Community Churchs Project Hope ministry, A night of sequin-studded disco fever, the 5th Annual Hoosier Ball was. They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. "By being so close and meeting so regularly, we're all in the loop with what's happening in each other's sphere. Home Cities Chicago Meet the Smithe Sisters, The new generation is shaking things up at furniture icon Walter E. Smithe. We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . Then the commercial came on. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family 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. I always suggest going with whatever color or colors are most pleasing to you, but some big color trends this spring are oranges, pinks, sage green and pastel blue. But they do have a business. I only hear them on the radio. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "[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. The brothers are recognized on the street, in grocery stores and coffee shops ("I got a free Starbucks latte once," Tim says). "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". 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. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. 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. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" "There are still people who ask us, 'Where are the brothers? I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! 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. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. 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. To their delight, the reaction to that initial campaign was primarily positive, as has been the case for every commercial they've produced since. Warehouse workers go over every piece of inventory awaiting delivery with a fine-tooth comb, looking for things an untrained eye would never see. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs Walter E. Maureen in 2002 Meghan in 2014 Caitie in 2015 and Colleen in 2016. ". With 10 years of advertising industry experience, Smithe Parker, daughter of President Walter E. Smithe III, has worked with high-profile advertising agencies in Chicago. Explore. Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? This initiative calls for all hands on deck. 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. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. Favorite design style: Clean and neutral. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. Mark admonished Walt to keep his feet off the furniture. Updating your home theater? 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. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. They look hungry. Darvin is always yelling about discounts. Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. 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. 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. Ask how we can add diversity to your supply chain. "We're not your parents' furniture company," Caitie said. Now, the fourth-generation leaders of Walter E. Smithe are learning to balance their busy personal lives with the big responsibility of carrying out the legacy of their family-run business. / CBS Chicago. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. The company has become known over the years in particular for its quirky TV commercials Chicago TV viewers have long known the jingle, "Walter E. Smithe, you dream it we build it." Read the rest of the issue. So as long as strangers keep serenading them with the company jingle instead of pelting them with "Hardrock, Coco and Joe" DVDs, and as long as the business continues to grow, they'll keep doing the ads. It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. The sisters get together at least twice a week, traveling from their homes in Chicago, Barrington and Riverside, leaving behind their children, husbands and home duties. 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. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. and became working moms in different industries. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. [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. They've transitioned into the spotlight. Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. 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. '", "I was at a gym on a treadmill," Mark says of the first time he caught one of the commercials. Subscribe for free today! Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. 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. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. "There was some physical violence between the brothers," Walt says with that satisfied look of a big brother who got to dish it out. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . The sisters left for college with a few prized furnishings and a work ethic that became a permanent fixture in their lives. "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. "It was kind of a neat way to kick off our involvement in the business as a group.". hbspt.forms.create({ By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. Its no longer that way.. This rating has improved by 10% over the last 12 months. You want it to succeed and do well.". We understand that customers see a certain look on, say, Instagram and they want it replicated in their own home, Colleen says. So much misogyny in these comments, their commercials have always been cheesy and annoying. [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. "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.". 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. Tim offered Walt brotherly support after a just-completed scene. "[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". "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. 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.