Were not trying to portray an image that working mothers can pull off everything without something falling through, Maureen says candidly. Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. Home Cities Chicago Meet the Smithe Sisters, The new generation is shaking things up at furniture icon Walter E. Smithe. We not only respect this, we embrace it.. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. 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. [1] 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 advertising). There have been more than a thousand of them since, and thanks to the magic of cable TV he is now a national celebrity. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. Caitie Smithe is aDesigner, Design Coordinator + Stylist atWalter E. Smithe Furniture + Design. When Smithe makes a furniture delivery, Its not uncommon for our crews to bring a 25-year-old sofa with a Smithe sticker on it back to this warehouse, Meghan says. The Feldco guy creeps me out more. Shop the label. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. Walter E. SMITHE corporate office is located in 1775 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 60004, United States and has 382 employees. Happy Hour With Jeff Lewis + Walter E. Smithe - fountainof30.com E. Smithe sisters Caitie, Colleen, Meghan and Maureen were introduced to the business at a young age. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? Through March 7, EuroFurniture (2145 W. Grand Ave., eurofurniture.com) is offering 15 percent off BDI media cabinets and consoles available in-store, online, and by phone. It said he passed away peacef It turned out so well that Tim carried along a copy to a speaking engagement. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. with Maureen Smithe Brusznicki and Caitie Smithe Jisa at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! - Lynn Hauldren: Who? It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. Shop now. In the late '60s, the growing family -- there are also four sisters, Cindy, Margie and . During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Smithe's three sons the Smithe brothers Mark, Tim, and Walter III became executives in the business and were regularly featured in the commercials. 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.". We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. 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. Like most mothers, whether theyre working or staying at home, we do what we can, she says. Three generations are involved in the family-run Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, including Walter Smithe Jr. (far right); his sons Walter III (far left) and Mark; and his four granddaughters, from left, Maureen, Caitie, Colleen and Meghan. "It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. How could they ensure the 75-year-old brand would be sustainable for decades to come? - The Victory Auto Wreckers guy: Almost every night since 1981, on some channel, Bob Zajdel has barely escaped injury when the driver's door fell off his old Chevy. The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . "I said, `Let's get you guys on camera.'". 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. This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. 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. You could say that the Smithes are a bit obsessed with quality. 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. Cindy went to college in Iowa and settled there after school. walter e smithe furniture & design. While a new recession may strike a particular industry, measuring the industry and . But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie Smitheis shaking things up in a big way. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. "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. Walter E. Smithe ads, famous for their jingle, now featuring next [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. 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. 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. Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. 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. "We were kind of like dorks, geeks, growing up," Mark says. Kyla McCarthy - EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki 'Flipping Out' Where To Get Jeff Lewis' Furniture Collection We connect families with the best local resources, advice, stories, things to do with kids and much more. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Corporate Profile - Winmo Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. The Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. 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. Maureen Smithe and Caitie Smithe had the pleasure of working with Chicago's own Mr. FixIt, Lou Manfredini.Such a nice guy and a true Chicagoan! 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. 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. Relevant. "Pam, Bill and I are always on the watch for pop culture. His four daughtersMaureen Megan Clarke Caitie Jisa and Colleen Parkerare now the new faces of this historic Chicago brand a spot he and his brothers held for decades. His line was, `If you can talk you can breathe.'". We understand that customers see a certain look on, say, Instagram and they want it replicated in their own home, Colleen says. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. is headquartered in Itasca, IL. We all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. Bloomingdale Plaza. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. And Amy is a singer and songwriter. Favorite design style: Cozy and comfortableaka hygge ethos. Its no longer that way.. Weird. 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. It was a natural fit, she said. Holly Hunt (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Ste. Walter E. Smithe III, the company's president, and his four beautiful "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. Shop the Sofa Sale. 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. 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. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. The brothers spend most of their time in the company's Itasca headquarters, which also serves as a warehouse, customer service center and point of departure for the fleet of Smithe trucks. They decided on an ad campaign that would, simply, pitch their product. The sisters laughed at hearing this family adage, knowing that home furnishing has been woven into the tapestry of their lives. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Contents. It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. "And a woman was there with her daughter, and she nudged her and I heard her say, 'That's the Walter E. Smithe guy.' 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. 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. "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. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. Sometimes you have to act fast. 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 sisters are making their official debut in a new campaign theyve recently launched called the Smithe Family Makeovers. Fielding countless applications, the Smithes choose a home where they redesign a space and showcase the full range of interior design services and furnishings Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design offers. 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. Whether bringing in color as an accent or making a big statement with a lot of color, your home will feel instantly transformed and personalized. 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. and became working moms in different industries. If you grew up in Chicago, you can probably hum it. They seem very pretentious I think. The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. His sons, Walter, Tim, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. Spoken like the daughter of a true shop owner, as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. Whoever said brick-and-mortar is dead hasn't met the Smithe sisters. Postpartum bladder leaks are common but there's help. Who are these guys? Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. walter e smithe furniture - inc. walter e smithe furniture. "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". "That's F-A-M-E, with an E". This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. 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. . Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. Take dress up and glam up a notch with a self-care day at this luxurious spa for kids and tweens. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . The Smithe brothers are following in the footsteps of other memorable Chicago commercial icons: - Jim Moran: Starting in the late '40s, "The Courtesy Man" sponsored wrestling programs, late-night movies, a country-and-western music show and his own variety show.
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