Spoken like the daughter of a true shop owner, as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. "What about you and your sisters?". Opening Day is March 30. Only a year apart in age, the lively, fast-talking Smithe sisters consider one another best friends. I was probably in elementary school when I would come in to work in the warehouse sweeping for a nickel Colleen says. 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. 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. There is no rule book that says they all need to matchmetals always compliment one another. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . "I think it's time for us to get out of these TV commercials," Walter said. Plus, they seem like nice guys. The Smithe sisters now serve as the face . The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, . Walter was the first of the third generation to join the family business in 1981 . Cindy went to college in Iowa and settled there after school. Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. CHICAGO The founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has died. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" Take dress up and glam up a notch with a self-care day at this luxurious spa for kids and tweens. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. 1251 W. Thorndale Ave. Itasca, IL 60143-1149. - Lynn Hauldren: Who? Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly. When they get a topic, Smithe says, he tries to figure a way to blend it into an ad. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. You may also light a candle in honor of Walter E. Smithe Jr. or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral . Also would somebody please feed them? His daughters were hesitant at first, questioning whether they were ready for such a responsibility. Contact Information. ", Says Tim Smithe, "Pop culture is always changing and so are we.". Draftfcb. We understand that customers see a certain look on, say, Instagram and they want it replicated in their own home, Colleen says. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. They seem very pretentious I think. 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! You can still be a fun premium brand (Virgin, for example) but this is Family Dollar-type schtick. Bringing new and various textures into a room can take it from plain and lacking in interest to exciting and memorable. In the 1970s Walter left Smithe and Shanahan (His brothers remained with the original company) to start his own company - Walter E. Smithe. The Bob's puppet is a far better actor than the Smithe girls though. He received a Bachelor of Philosophy in Commerce from the University of Notre Dame in 1958. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Tim recalls Walt trying to smother him -- repeatedly, apparently -- with a bean bag chair. Woven Roman shades, a jute rug and a blonde wood vanity usher texture and warmth into the otherwise minimalist design. Our lives can be overrun with technology, commitments and schedules. "Staying fresh, young . 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. They've transitioned into the spotlight. 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. "Still hard for me to imagine.") Over the last 12 years, one by one, Walter's daughters have been hired on at Smithe in an official capacity. Holly Hunt (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Ste. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. It said he passed away peacef The company gained national exposure from Lewis' collection, and each sister was able to shine in her own specialty. Favorite design style: Cozy and comfortableaka hygge ethos. Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves. I'm a brand manager and their commercials make the brand seem like a discount bin. Sometimes it does not pay to work with family. Read the rest of the issue. Am I the only one who just thinks he looks like Louis CK? Its no longer that way.. Were a Chicago company that was given national exposure. Determine whether Walter E. Smithe Furniture grew or shrank during the last recession. "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. Subscribe for free today! Explore. Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. "It's always positive, and it's nice to be part of it. "An hour and a half. We are a 4th generation family-owned business, and our employees are an integral part of . As the oldest sibling, Maureen was the first to officially join Walter E. Smithe in a professional capacity in 2004. The Smithes stand out because they're doing silly things. View a map of participating First Friday locations. But they still manage to get out to their stores about once a week, touching base with their employees, surprising customers or hosting events such as book signings or wine tastings. [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]. Itasca, IL 60143. The 4th generation (Walter III's daughters) join the business after careers in their respective fields; Maureen in 2002, Meghan in 2014, Caitie in 2015, and Colleen in 2016. [6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. I only hear them on the radio. "And I'd be yelling, `I can't breathe! Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. At Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, we are committed to helping our clients love their homes through expert design, quality furnishings, and exemplary service. "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". But he soon returned to the family furniture business that his father first started in 1945, and pioneered the concept of custom-order furniture in the Chicago area. "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. Hell stand on things, jump on them, do his best to break dining chairs. Nearby is a mangled lamp that will never find its way to a Smithe showroom floor. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years," Meghan said. And they wanted a way to build the brand. The sisters laughed at hearing this family adage, knowing that home furnishing has been woven into the tapestry of their lives. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. 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. Visit . Walter e smithe daughters. [4][5] In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans". 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Smithe. In recent years, Smithe enjoyed his time with extended family. Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. Get 5 free searches. between Scott Ave. and Tower Rd., Winnetka, shophwdd.com) hosts a First Friday event on the North Shore. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary. But one by one, they followed Maureen's lead and rejoined the family business. The answer -- and the sisters' secret to success -- can be summed up in three key words: Fresh. In some of the footage, youll see my dad installing a dimmer or my uncle driving a truck. I can't breathe!' Read on to find out more about pelvic floor therapy and how it's growing in popularity among postpartum women. 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. (847) 933-1481. "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. Unlike their brothers, they chose other careers. Walter Smithe III and his brothers Mark and Tim helped make the furniture store a household name with clever commercials -- a tradition that's continued with Smithe III's four daughters, Colleen . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. To the Smithe sisters, the company has always been a piece of their identity, an integral thread of their childhood. 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. Whoever said brick-and-mortar is dead hasn't met the Smithe sisters. Walter e smithe is a high end furniture store, no surprise their ads are geared towards middle aged women from high income households aka suburban moms. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. 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. "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. Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy.

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