I placed an order with Walter E. Smithe for an oversized couch, chair and ottoman for the living room of a new condo I was purchasing. This call and several other phone calls I placed were not returned so I finally went back to the store. The salesperson and the manager told me they would not modify the order or give me a refund because they have a "72 hour change policy" -- even though I did notify them within this time frame. Household refused to help and no one at Walter E. Smith wanted to listen.
Interior Designer / Sales Consultant
The complaint person Doris tells us WE ordered the wrong cushions ("plush" instead of extra firm) even though our designer agreed with us that extra firm was ordered. Originally offered nothing, but with our on-going complaints, offered replacement with NO guarantee. It's their merchandise, why can't they guarantee it?
Willow 96in Sofa As Shown
I have never been treated this poorly by any merchant ever. My advice would be DO NOT SHOP AT WALTER E. SMITHE FURNITURE. Fields and other furniture retailers are much more reliable. At that time we were looking to furnish our entire house with W&S. We went through a hustle of getting our second sofa delivered.
Dining chairs
Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie. In 1982, Smithe changed the business’ name to Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. He oversaw further expansions of the chain’s store base. Walter Edward Smithe Jr. grew up on the Northwest Side of Chicago and graduated from Fenwick High School in 1954 and the University of Notre Dame in 1958.
Walter E. Smithe brothers deliver emotional knockout on behalf of World War II vets - Chicago Business Journal - The Business Journals
Walter E. Smithe brothers deliver emotional knockout on behalf of World War II vets - Chicago Business Journal.
Posted: Wed, 13 May 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The rude treatment, the non-refund policy and the myth of a caring company is just that...a myth. Folks, get a licensed interior designer to do your home planning, not a 60 day wonder fresh out of college with a communication's degree. September 1st we order a couch from the Walter E. Smithe in Vernon Hills. We ordered it knowing we would need it for our party on December 22nd so made sure to order it months ahead. In the beginning of November we got a call from our sales person and she said that our order had been canceled.
Draper Sofa In Ink
They hire sales people with no interior design experience and call them decorators. My sister purchased thousands of dollars of furniture and when I arrived at her home to look at it, I immediately noticed the furniture was too large and overpowering the room. She called the so called decorator and oh well too bad for her. Every time I see one of the Company's brotherly images and commerical it makes me sick. This company is totally driven by the almighty dollar and have not passion for design!
She balances her time between our Oak Brook showroom and the home office where she partners with our Merchandising team to scout industry trends and influence how those are represented across Smithe’s product offering. Some collections take customization to the next level, letting you design down to the exact width, depth, height, arm and leg style, and more. In recent years, Smithe enjoyed his time with extended family. He entertained the youngest generation of the family playing banjo and singing folk songs such as "The Rock Island Line," and telling stories of Tiny Tim and the Magic Gumball Machine, his obit said. He pioneered the concept of customer-order furniture in the Chicago area.
Bexley Sofa
Besides, we'd have to pay to protective coat the new ones. With more complaints, directly to "Mr Smithe"...NO resolution/nothing.GO elsewhere. We have spent a total of $4000 and still have no coach that is suitable. Their ads are cute, but I am thoroughly disgusted and dissatisfied. I'm 56 and this is the worse furniture buying experience in my lifetime...for the most money ever spent!
Winter Wide Track Apt Sofa - Quick Ship Custom
Smithe Signature does not compromise on quality products; we embrace them. With only the best materials - rich velvets, embroidered silks, luxurious chenille, and stunning tapestries - we apply manufacturing techniques that have been passed down from one generation to another. We have always found our customers want timeless aesthetic principals mixed with new-world chic style, and the artisans at Smithe Signature fit that bill to a "t". In the 1990s, Smithe semi-retired from work, turning over day-to-day operations of the chain to his three sons.
We have earned a reputation for quality furniture and exceptional service. Gaining critical work experience, outside of Smithe, enabled us to develop our own perspective and to gain experience in process and management. There was never a predetermined path for any of us to return to Smithe; however, as relevant opportunities presented themselves, we each returned. They are robbers and it's planned to be that way.
Was told parts were in again and the guy came out on August 7 and now said that they sent the wrong part. I emailed them same day and told them the situation and have not heard from them since. Along with all of this, they have sent me 2 notices that I owe money on this chair.
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. The slogans "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E" are commonly used. Smithe loved being onsite at the business’ showrooms, according to his family. “My sisters and I looked forward to his daily email recap where he shared stories about the clients he interacted with and compliments for our staff,” his granddaughter said.
Shop table lamps, floor lamps, overheadlighting, including chandeliers, flush mounts and pendants and sconces. We have storagesolutions to keep everything from family games to TVs nicely tucked away, plus bookcases,consoles, etageres and more for display-worthy accessories and keepsakes. Smithe carriesmany styles of dining room furniture to make even the most discerning supper guests happy.Our designers can help you select the dining table size and shape that is right for yourroom and your hosting plans. If your room allows, we recommend adding functional storagelike a console, buffet, hutch or curio. An accent rug is a nice way to tie the spacetogether.
If you're searching for a furniture sale, please visit our promotions page here. Our Outlet Store in Glendale Heightshas over 35,000 square feet of quality furnishings, décor, lighting, artwork, textiles andmore at deeply discounted prices. Stop in often as we deliver new furniture on a weeklybasis. Smithe eventually convinced his two brothers to expand their business into custom-order furniture, and it was such a success that they opened a 4,500-square-foot store in Park Ridge selling custom-order sofas and chairs. Smithe then wanted to open a second store, but at that point, he and his brothers came to an amicable parting, in which he sold them his interest in Smithe & Shanahan and they sold him their interest in the Park Ridge furniture store.
My next step will be to take this complaint to all social media platforms as I feel consumers deserve to be aware of thing like this. Needles to say we purchased rest of our furniture with Restoration Hardware and received nothing but outstanding service. I put a deposit of $1200 down on a table at Walter E. Smith, Crystal Lake, IL. The sales person said I may have to pay a 10% restocking fee if I changed my mind. She said nothing about them cashing the check first thing the next morning, and then refusing to give any of my money back. After talking to the store manager and the ordering person, the matter was referred to "Mr. Smithe" .
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