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 also is changing up its ads. 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. 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. It's all a part of an effort to hang on to the company's loyal customers while persuading younger shoppers that Walter E. Smithe isn't just their parent's go-to store. The Smithe sisters have heard it all before, and they've set out to dispel those misperceptions. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. Walter Smithe III and Mark Smithe (the Smithe Brothers) are the sons of Walter Jr, and serve as President and VP/Legal Counsel, respectively. 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 Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. But the truth is, I love coming to the office. [3], The company has become well known in the Chicago area for its television commercials, which for decades starred the three Smithe brothers, and now star the four Smithe sisters. 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.". Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. Chicago Parent, as a Zoe Communications Group company, is certified as a Womens Business Enterprise by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nations largest third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. Smithe brothers aim for 'Sex' appeal in latest quirky commercial, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Walter_E._Smithe&oldid=1127865487, This page was last edited on 17 December 2022, at 02:33. Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. Primary Address. The 86-year-old patriarch of the Smithe family, Walter Edward Smithe Jr., "died . Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. But repeated airings of the ad have made him and his door legendary. Or "Hardrock, Coco and Joe." 177 East Army Trail Road, Glendale Heights, IL 60139. Her sisters had fallen into their own specialties and were pursuing different paths at the time. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design advertising has featured everything from parodies of "The Price Is Right" to a 2013 classic in which the Smithe brothers got into a wrestling ring with Billy Corgan. It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. Shop the clearance. 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. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. Even their more than 250 employees are treated like family. 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. "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. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. It takes work and sacrifice.. 1 Early life; 2 Television; 3 Personal Life; 4 References; . Walter was the first of the third generation to join the family business in 1981 . 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.". 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. 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. "Some dabbled and moved on and others just weren't interested.". After college, all three gravitated back to the family business, which was founded by their father. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. - 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. Not as long as they keep the commercials clever and topical, O'Neil says. For example, Meghan had to miss her sons Valentines Day party at school this year, due to work responsibilities. walter e smithe. Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. Updating your home theater? Smithe's wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed, and he . The store, which has 10 locations in the Chicago area, has been open for nearly 75 years and has faced all the challenges of . "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". Since 1945, the company has established itself as a reliable family-run retailer, with the second- and third-generation Smithe men at the helm. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . "As furniture commercials go, what the Smithes are doing is great," he says. "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Find locations. One by one, each sister began working in the family business. 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. 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. They're not egomaniacs. Nothing is left unchanged, Meghan notes. Thats fast, but it shows what we can do. Their grandfather, who is in his 80s, remains active in the company, frequently visiting showrooms and making connections with clients. "It's a big responsibility. While it may not be usable 365 days a year, the days that your outdoor space are in fact usable should be embraced. For instance, finding that perfect piece of decorative furniture that creatively doubles as a toy box for kids games, toys and video devices. Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. Their camaraderie is genuine, and they can easily share ideas and bounce between conversations. It's pretty surprising they are still playing on these tired sexist tropes in this day and age. "It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. We all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. They've been able to weather the unexpected storm of the coronavirus pandemic. "[7] Maria Coons, a marketing teacher at Harper College, has also defended the advertisements, telling a Daily Herald reporter, "Some people who aren't in that [30 to 60 year old] demographic might consider them dorky, but for their target market, they're not. "It was kind of ingrained in us," Caitie Smithe said. This style is out there and we need to respond and get it on our floor. "It's made us focus on what we do best, which is designing our clients' homes," he said. October 12, 2022 / 3:27 PM It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray. officially retires, although he still enjoys visiting showrooms and meeting clients. Start shopping. 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. "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. He NEVER blinks. For people who are in their 40s and have families, that's how brothers act around each other when they get together. They pointed out how affordable the pieces are. /r/Chicago is the place to discuss and stay updated on the daily happenings of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Walt and Tim mocked Mark's new haircut. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design (Old Orchard) 17 miles. The Empire Carpet Guy, of course. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. "We had a common agreement that we had the best furniture in Chicago," Tim says, "but not enough people knew about it.". [6], One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. That's a galaxy away from the current "Star Wars" parody. Billy Corgan and Walter E. Smithe Wrestling. "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. We don't take that lightly.".