Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? 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. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. [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. "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? 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. Subscribe for free today! Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. The Bob's puppet is a far better actor than the Smithe girls though. 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. What are they up to?' 74% of employees would recommend working at Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design to a friend and 70% have a positive outlook for the business. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. It's pretty surprising they are still playing on these tired sexist tropes in this day and age. 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. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). 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. This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. Cindy went to college in Iowa and settled there after school. 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. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. 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. Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. Draftfcb. It said he passed away peacef She also sees more demand for curation: Rather than walking into a store and getting an entire matching bedroom or dining set, people are mixing and matching and getting a look thats uniquely theirs., The new ED Ellen DeGeneres furniture collection (now available at all 11 Walter E. Smithe showrooms) allows for just thatand it includes versatile pieces that transcend their typical use. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. The store, which has 10 locations in the Chicago area, has been open for nearly 75 years and has faced all the challenges of . View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). Pinterest. "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". Someone really needs a new marketing director/CMO/agency because they do not know what they are doing. They're going to be the ones buying furniture for the next 50 years, so we have to be ready to serve them the way they want to be served," said Walter Smithe, 57. A few bucks later, the clunker is off to Victory's Bensenville lot. No surprise why the quality is so crap. The Sisters Behind the Walter E. Smithe Furniture Company - DuJour Colleen Smithe, Director of 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. The brothers are recognized on the street, in grocery stores and coffee shops ("I got a free Starbucks latte once," Tim says). But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . The fourth generation of Smithe leadership is hoping that this young, fresh approach to advertising and marketing will resonate with a consumer base that hasnt yet shopped with Smithe before. Nothing is left unchanged, Meghan notes. The Smithes had been encouraged to air their outtakes on television after Tim Smithe screened them at an interior design seminar and received a positive reaction from the crowd. Shop the label. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. Walter E. Smithe Jr's death was announced Thursday on the company's Facebook page. Contents. Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. I love the one where they are drinking what looks like Tang out of wine glasses. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. "[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". 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. "So that drove us, I think, to be successes.". Walter E. Smithe Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design Reviews - Glassdoor Personally, I dont want to stare at ugly furniture for all those years, Meghan says. Through March 16, enjoy savings of up to 20 percent on select rugs (hopscotch, anyone?) Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. Walter E. Smithe Furniture: Contact Details and Business Profile And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. It turned out so well that Tim carried along a copy to a speaking engagement. Haute Living is a network of luxury publications with bimonthly regional editions in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. Is anyone else annoyed with the new generation of Walter E Smithe /r/Chicago is the place to discuss and stay updated on the daily happenings of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) For people who are in their 40s and have families, that's how brothers act around each other when they get together. Still, the Smithes have had to weather various challenges since joining the company, including the retirement of their uncle, Tim. As teens, the four sisters worked only part time in their fathers showroom or outlet store, selling furniture and earning their first paychecks along with other eager, cash-strapped teens. But even as likable as the brothers are, do they run the risk of oversaturation or going to the well too often? It takes work and sacrifice.. Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. But they do have a business. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Corporate Profile - Winmo Meghan is director of marketing, Caitie is a designer and stylist and Colleen is director of advertising. The original simple jingle and slogan was perfect. We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . Additional partnerships with the likes of Cynthia Rowley and Ellen Degeneres have exposed the company to a new customer base. Find locations. 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. 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. Who are these guys? Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design (Old Orchard) 17 miles. Happy Hour With Jeff Lewis + Walter E. Smithe - fountainof30.com Falling asleep. Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. "Instead we did it on the turn of a dime. In recent years, Smithe enjoyed his time with extended family. (Last year, Walter E. Smithe resurrected the 1950s-era cartoon that was a holiday staple on WGN-Ch. 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. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design - Maureen Smithe and Caitie Smithe I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse, sweeping for a nickel, Colleen says of the brand, which first opened in 1945. Walter E. Smithe Near You in Vernon Hills, Illinois - furniture Tim offered Walt brotherly support after a just-completed scene. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. "We're custom, so we can create everything, but we need to get the right mix out there to give people ideas," said Meghan Smithe, the company's director of marketing. 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. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. Visit . He also hosted telethons. 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.. "With a strategy to continue Smithe parodies of relevant topics, really, the future is limitless," he says. High School," Walter says. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. As the fourth generation to run their family-owned Chicago furniture store, Walter. Working at Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design | Glassdoor There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. Mark admonished Walt to keep his feet off the furniture. We see this country chic trend currently happening as a design emergency, says Maureen. We had no grand plan.. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. His signature line: "Linn Burton for certain!". When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Moms of 17 juggle the Chicago-based family business "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. 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. 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. Then they brought in the wives. We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". They can really do great things. The company gained national exposure from Lewis' collection, and each sister was able to shine in her own specialty. In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. 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. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. [4][5] In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans". While we still have traditional pieces, our showroom appeals to a number of different lifestyles. Walter E. Smithe Jr. died peacefully at age 86, his family said in a prepared statement. and became working moms in different industries. 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. 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. 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. She sounds annoyed that the spill isn't absorbing, like there's some insurance scheme that hinges on being able to stain this white couch. [4], Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. "But we've also gotten some really nice feedback from people who are happy to see four working women on their TV.". The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). It was an organic transition for each of us, says Colleen, the youngest sister. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. And they're not showbiz types. It couldn't have gone more perfectly, Maureen said. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? [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]. Contact Information. It's fun to be part of Chicago in that way.". It was like the empire jingle. So is there a `Wally and the Sofa Factory' in our future?". 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