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. 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. My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. The Smithe sisters are working to expose the brand to a new customer base Photo credit: Robin Subar. portalId: "6766057", 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. [4][5] In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans". The Smithe brothers commercials Chicagoans are used to were great for getting the Walter E. Smithe name out, but the new ads put the focus back on the furniture and design services, said Meghan Smithe. The daughters took over the company. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Nothing will be worse than the commercials they ran the last time the Cicadas were in season. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. Building upon the Smithe family legacy is a big responsibility, the sisters said, one they've embraced with fervor. It stuck in your head. He NEVER blinks. The commercial, Colleen's brainchild, aimed to show off the company's new "worry-free" performance fabrics that repel stains, a trend Maureen recognized at a major industry trade show and brought back to the Chicago market. "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. 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. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. We had no grand plan.. As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. I love the attention I get as a local celebrity," Mark says. 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. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM I only hear them on the radio. Further confused by the commercials now. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. What The Walter E. Smithe Daughters Do . Please enter valid email address to continue. ". 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. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. "We're not your parents' furniture company," Caitie said. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). The Smithes: (L-R) Colleen, Meghan, Walter III, Walter Jr., Mark, Caitie, and Maureen. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. As mothers, theyve learned its not only possible, but preferable, to have a functional yet beautiful home. "We wanted to entertain people first, so then when we wanted to inform them they'd already be paying attention," Tim says of their advertising philosophy. Customers were more concerned with what we were selling versus the people who were selling it, she adds. Lewis Lazare. "It's always positive, and it's nice to be part of it. Their interactions were zany, their dialogue lighthearted, their catchy jingle -- "you dream it, we build it" -- recognizable throughout the region. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. 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. At-a-glance. I also think, coming from a family business myself, to see how they interact with each other just gives you the feeling that they're good people, that you'd want to do business with those people.". One spot was modeled after Apple's weird commercials. As they grew into their teens, there were the usual summer jobs -- caddying, yard work, selling ice cream from a motorized three-wheeler. Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. 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. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! We learned so much from these relationships, Colleen says. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? 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. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. They've transitioned into the spotlight. 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. "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. 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. The are the Smithe sisters, Meghan, Colleen, Maureen and Caitie. They seem very pretentious I think. '", "I was at a gym on a treadmill," Mark says of the first time he caught one of the commercials. Find out where to go, what to eat, where to live, and more. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Someone really needs a new marketing director/CMO/agency because they do not know what they are doing. 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. Oct 2012 - Apr 20152 years 7 months. Is she OK? The Feldco guy creeps me out more. "And of course this summer's blockbuster is supposed to be `Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.' Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design (Old Orchard) 17 miles. And they wanted a way to build the brand. The new generation of Smithes are featured in the company's new advertising. Give yourself time to just be in a comfortable and beautiful outdoor space. Meghan and Colleen spent several years working at advertising agencies in Chicago. They hammer out a script, call in O'Neil and start filming. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. 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. Brothers Walt, Tim and Mark Smithe -- the faces of Walter E. Smithe Furniture -- seem to have hit on something with their ubiquitous ads. 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.". "They took different career paths," Tim says. 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. If you are ready to get grown-up furniture, this place has a very nice selection, with helpful staff who can guide you toward the proper colors, scale, and what looks nice together. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Whoever said brick-and-mortar is dead hasn't met the Smithe sisters. Shop the label. Business Profile for Walter E. Smithe Furn-Itasca. "Smithes have fun at the old ballpark". "What about you and your sisters?". hbspt.forms.create({ This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. Hope, once a Smithe designer and store manager, now lives in Colorado with her husband. Sisters Colleen, Meghan, Maureen and Caitie Smithe, from left, say three key words have helped them carry their family-run furniture company into a fourth generation: fresh, young and relevant. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. 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. Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. He also hosted telethons. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . Start shopping. Chicago, IL. Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. But shes quick to point out that the business is still very much a multigenerational effort, noting that their 81-year-old grandfather still regularly meets with clients. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. It turned out so well that Tim carried along a copy to a speaking engagement. You want it to succeed and do well.". Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. And they're not showbiz types. There's a lot of blurred lines, and we have to learn when to defer to each other.". They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. And then fate gently tapped them on their shoulder. In fact, none of the sisters seriously considered having a career in the company, founded by their great-grandfather in 1945. You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. Falling asleep. "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 inc. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. Walter Smithe, president of the furniture company, climbs the stairs March 21, 2017, at the Walter E. Smithe furniture store in Oak Brook, alongside his four daughters, Colleen, from left, Caitie, Maureen and Meghan. 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. The Smithe sisters have heard it all before, and they've set out to dispel those misperceptions. 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. Most recently, she was at . We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . 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. Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . Updating your home theater? Shop the Sofa Sale. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. View info about Walter E. Smithe Furniture (smithe.com). Shop the clearance. (He's now semi-retired, having turned the business over to his sons about 10 years ago.). - 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. Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. 22 miles. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. There is no true balance for moms in our situation., We cant be everything all at once, Meghan says. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. 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. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. Explore. "He'd come up from behind and drop in it on us," Tim says. Walter E. Smithe Jr's death was announced Thursday on the company's Facebook page. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. The Smithe family announced that their patriarch died this past Sunday with his wife of 64 years, Florence Flynn Smithe, by his side. Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. Our learning curve has been steep and long, with a lot of challenges, says Colleen, flanked by her sisters at the familys Lincoln Park location, a 10,000-square-foot boutique store. 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. In recent years, Smithe enjoyed his time with extended family. "It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. For instance, finding that perfect piece of decorative furniture that creatively doubles as a toy box for kids games, toys and video devices. The Smithe sisters, all in their thirties, worked in the family business as teens but pursued different career paths in adulthood. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). [6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. 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. Read the rest of the issue. 443 were here. The 3rd brother, Tim Smithe, retired in 2016. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. Favorite design style: Modern mixed with traditional. 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. Visit . The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . 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.