[6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. What she does: I use both sides of my brain: left for all the analytical spreadsheet stuff and right for the creative vision. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. 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. Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. "If you think of furniture commercials, it's always just panning a showroom with obnoxious graphics," says O'Neil, who has directed all the Smithe commercials. Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. The CBS Chicago team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSChicago.com. Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . I dont think anyone in the furniture industry does advertising well. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. What she does: Come up with ideas that get people off their couch and into our storesand put my sisters in awkward positions (see our commercials)., What she does: Whether were working or just hanging out, my Type A personality keeps us organized and on track.. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. Their interactions were zany, their dialogue lighthearted, their catchy jingle -- "you dream it, we build it" -- recognizable throughout the region. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Shop the clearance. The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think. Assuming your a dude your not supposed to understand the commercials. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". "The girls have all worked elsewhere before coming back to Smithe," says Walter of his daughters who have had careers ranging from merchandising to advertising. 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. He NEVER blinks. "In what seems to be their unending and over-the-top zeal to self-promote, they just may be helping drive traffic," he wrote, adding, "If nothing else, the advertising suggests the chain has some suits with personality attached. 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. His daughters were hesitant at first, questioning whether they were ready for such a responsibility. Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. Read on to find out more about pelvic floor therapy and how it's growing in popularity among postpartum women. "What about you and your sisters?". Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up in the Northwest Side's Belmont Central neighborhood. 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. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe (smithe.com) siblings-on-a-couch commercials. The Walter E. Smithe furniture jingle "you dream it, we build it" has been a longtime fixture in the firm's television ads, just as the Smithe brothers themselves have been. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . We had no grand plan.. 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. You could say that the Smithes are a bit obsessed with quality. Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. - Linn Burton: He started selling appliances in Polk Bros. ads in 1953, but the majority of his 35-year TV career was spent hawking cars -- Kaisers, Frazers, Joe Rizza's Pontiacs and, most famously, Bert Weinman's Fords. We simply never had that conversation, Meghan says. The Walter E. Smithe + Jeff Lewis showcase certainly fits the bill. Lewis Lazare. One of the first opportunities to test their compatibility was through a partnership with interior designer and TV personality Jeff Lewis. Compare how recession-proof Walter E. Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. 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. 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. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. Edited to add: Looked them up and gee, it's one of the daughters managing the marketing. Lewis Lazare. I can't breathe!' 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. But the sisters also know they can always turn to the leaders who came before them. "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.". Then there's their father, a hardworking industry expert who leads by example and walks into any work setting saying, "We check our egos at the door.". Receive a 20 percent discount on sofas, love seats, sectionals, chaises, and more at Cassona (5241 N. Clark St., cassona.com) through March 13. 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. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. 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." And in between the entertainment were his folksy commercials for Courtesy Motors -- his cars were "honeys" and "sweeties" -- which at one point was the world's largest Ford dealer. Updating your home theater? Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. I gave up sleep and TV, Maureen jokes. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie . While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. Favorite design style: Clean and neutral. 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. And I thought, `makeup and lighting. Further confused by the commercials now. 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. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. Still, she never dreamed of working full time for Walter E. Smithe Furniture, even while growing up in Barrington with her three sisters, Maureen, Caitie and Colleen. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, - Courtesy of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. From 5 to 8 p.m., select retailers will offer refreshments while highlighting unique designers. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. Hauldren -- an advertising copywriter who created the character -- first appeared in the ads in 1973. Subscribe for free today! 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. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. Its unnerving. Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. Revenue: $100 to $500 million (USD) Competitors: Linly Designs, Rieke Office Interiors, 57st Design. "We're dreamers and we have big ideas," Meghan said. Walter E. Smithe also is changing up its ads. Who are the Walter E Smithe daughters? 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. 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. ". To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". 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. "We have wonderful clients who are my generation or older, but we have to figure out how we cater to this new generation that's setting up households now. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. "In a family business, everyone has to wear all hats at all times," Maureen said. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM 1251 West Thorndale Avenue. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". 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. 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. And they're not showbiz types. 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. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, . Walter e smithe daughters. And it's those commercials, always informative and usually silly, that have the Smithe brothers walking in the footsteps of Linn Burton and the Empire Carpet Guy as Chicago TV commercial icons. 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. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" Shop the label. Favorite design style: Modern mixed with traditional. So much misogyny in these comments, their commercials have always been cheesy and annoying. At that age, it was very exciting to come home and brag that we sold maybe hundreds or thousands of dollars in furniture, Meghan recalls. 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. walter e smithe furniture & design. [4], Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies.