Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Furniture titan Walter E Smithe Jr. dies; leaves a legacy Chicago-area business

walter e. smithe furniture & design

Also, WHO your designer is makes all the difference in the world.You can get better elsewhere for a more reasonable price. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned furniture retailer, founded right here in Chicago, back in 1945. Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. Today, you'll find 3 generations of the Smithe family still actively involved in the business. We design for you.If you need a little help or a lot, our designers are here to help. This company has no interest in furniture and design as they claim.

Business Name

Three generations of Smithes are currently involved in the business, including the 4th generation Smithe sisters. We source from 200+ quality manufacturers to find the most sought-after products, with a broad range of styles and price points. From traditional to modern, we have it, in good-better-best price points. In 1967, Smithe joined the family business, which his father had co-founded in 1945 with Bill Shanahan under the name “Tone Appliance,” according to an interview he gave to the Daily Herald newspaper in 2016. They soon changed the name of their single appliance store, which was at 5500 W.

Defective quality

Whether it's a formal living room or cozy family room, we have everything you need to create your own personalized space within your budget. With our almost infinite custom upholstery offerings for sofas, chairs, sectionals and more, you'll find quality furniture to enjoy for years to come. Work with a Smithe designer at one of our 10 area showrooms to help you sort through over 200 manufacturers showcasing a wide variety of styles and price points. We'll help you pull it all together with the perfect upholstery, accent pieces, tables, rugs and accessories. We spent THOUSANDS of dollars there furnishing our new condo...first sofa was defective. Difficulty getting it rectified but offered to provide a new sofa at a significant discount.

Winter Wide Track Sofa - Quick Ship Custom

If I cannot use this chair for its intended purpose I am not going to pay them any more money. I would just like to return this hair and get a refund for the first half that I paid. Maureen, Meghan, Caitie, and Colleen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.We’ve been involved in the family business for most of our lives.

Walter E. Smithe celebrating 70 years in furniture store biz with tribute ad - Chicago Business Journal - The Business Journals

Walter E. Smithe celebrating 70 years in furniture store biz with tribute ad - Chicago Business Journal.

Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]

I was offered the cash card of $1000 due to delays to deliver my product and because of one product not fitting in my house. I was not sure on expiry date as normally cash cards do not expire. In addition, I had a situation in my family and lost of my father because of covid that resulted me delaying the use of cash card and now when I went to buy the stuff at store, I was told that this card is expired.

I also wrote to the Better Business Bureau and their advice was to file a claim in small claims court. After a great deal of wasted time and money, I settled this dispute with the store to keep my credit report clear. I paid them nearly $1000 and never received any goods or merchandise in return. No one at Walter E. Smithe ever apologized and they refused to take responsibility.

Winter Wide Track Sofa

walter e. smithe furniture & design

These guys try to pretend like theyre chicago legends yet theyre just brats that got a free company from daddy. Heres a great idea, treat customers well and they will come back to you. Maureen was first to return to Smithe in 2004 when she joined our Merchandising team as a Buyer. Over the past 13 years, Maureen’s focus has been on driving distinct merchandising blocks that demonstrate our company’s ability to deliver furniture and designs that appeal to each of our clients’ unique tastes. While they took breaks from the biz to make their own way after college, each came back when the right positions opened up. Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly.

Bailey Sofa

Our designers can help you sort through the numerous outdoor furniture manufacturers for the perfect patio accent pieces, outdoor dining tables, rugs and more to curate the your outdoor oasis to your own personal style. Its comfort and quality will last you for years to come. On February 15, 2021 it began to not work properly. When you put the chair into the lift position and then go back to recline it will not recline.

Colorado Sofa - Signature Collection

Walter E. Smithe Jr. led Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, an Itasca-based, custom-order furniture firm that was an offshoot of a Northwest Side appliance store that his father had formed in 1945. If you need a little help or a lot, our designers are here to help. We offer easy tools for businesses and reviewers to solve issues together. Once again it sounds like the Smithe return policy has claimed another victim. Hopefully these clown wont be around much longer... Purchased a beautiful table from Walter E. Smithe using my WES card, except, because they had a new system, I had to take a hard hit on my credit for them to open a new card for me.

Belmont Avenue on Chicago’s Northwest Side, to “Smithe & Shanahan,” and they eventually moved the store to the corner of Belmont and Central Avenues. We work with quality brands you can trust, so you can just relax and enjoy. The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction. Caitie stepped back into the role of Smithe designer in March 2016.

With the new TD RETAIL card, it gave me a 20K limit because my credit is excellent. I’m only on my 4th payment, and have gotten 3 NSF charges because of them. Meghan, Director of Marketing, came back to Smithe in February 2014, and Colleen, Director of Advertising, joined 2 years later in February 2016. Meghan and Colleen work hand-in-hand on bigger picture initiatives focused on driving the strategic vision for the company, as well as the more day-to-day tasks of managing our messaging and setting our promotional plans. The Smithe family announced that their patriarch died this past Sunday with his wife of 64 years, Florence Flynn Smithe, by his side. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago.

walter e. smithe furniture & design

As little girls, our dad would take us to work with him and have us do odd jobs around the office, like removing tags from furniture and sorting paperwork. As soon as we could drive, we worked weekends at our outlet store, and during school breaks, we’d help out at the office. During the summer between our junior and senior years in college, we each went through designer training and spent the summer working directly with Smithe clients in the designer role. Born in the heart of Chicago, we're a family owned and operated local business since 1945, now four generations strong. We strive to bring our clients the best in home furnishings for every style, budget, and stage of life. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized looks, appealing to your unique style, and guided by our professional designers.

I had no idea I was paying thousands of dollars for a sectional only meant to last less than 2 years. Whether you're looking to update the design in your home, or youare moving to a new home, you'll find quality furnishings at Smithe. We like to say theliving room sofa (aka couch) is the heart of the home. If you like to host or if your familyis large, we have many spacious sectionals to consider. Apartment sofas and loveseats areperfect for smaller spaces. To complete the room, we recommend accent chairs, side tablesand cocktail/coffee tables.

Walter Edward Smithe Jr. remained active with the company until his death in 2022. The commitment to craftsmanship, utilizing superior materials, and applying the best manufacturing techniques ensures a top-tier product that can be enjoyed for years to come. We take great pride in every piece of furniture we build because we know our customers have chosen to invest in the best. We make sure all complaints and reviews are from real people sharing genuine experiences. Please tell us about Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design.Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is a family-owned retailer, founded 1945 in Chicago, IL.

It's their merchandise, why can't they guarantee the quality? Then NOTHING even though complained also to "Mr Smithe".GO ELSEWHERE...have spent the MOST money for UNsatisfactory merchandise in my life. You are better off getting something off the floor a more reputable merchant. Their ads are cute...too bad they can't match it with service and product. Whether it's a formal living room or an outdoor patio, Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design has everything you need to create your own personalized space within your budget. With our almost infinite custom upholstery offerings including outdoor furniture options, you dream it, we build it!

Bedroom furniture should be comfortable and cozy. Upholstered headboards are afavorite for many Smithe clients, as our canopy beds, storage beds, panel beds and metalframed beds. Dressers, chests, chessers, nightstands and armoires provide storage and spaceto anchor a favorite new piece of artwork or tableside lamp. From sofas to sectionals, coffee tables to storage cabinets, we have it all!

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