B Smith Furniture in High Point, Full HD Video Slideshow
B Smith Home at Furnitureland South, Fall 2010
B Smith
B. Smith is a pioneer in the lifestyle category whose talents and expertise span a wide range of specialties. Heralded by The New York Daily News, "B. Smith is one of the most important African American style mavens of all time". At the forefront of a trans cultural movement, she possesses a unique ability to merge cultures through a shared appreciation for style. Smith regularly offers advice to television and radio audiences, reaching others as an author, and has also earned kudos as a restaurateur and home décor authority. Whether as a personality or lifestyle brand, consumers know they can trust B. Smith.
A native of Pennsylvania, B. (Barbara) Smith began her career as a fashion model, going on to grace the covers of 15 magazines including Mademoiselle, becoming the first African-American woman on its cover in July 1976. Today her face can be seen on Betty Crocker and Pillsbury products and, in addition to a recent TV commercial for Mercedes-Benz, she currently serves as spokesperson for Colgate Palmolive Oxy products and in the past, McCormick's Lawry seasonings.
A respected expert in affordable-yet-elegant living, B. Smith brings style to everything she does. For nearly a decade, Smith hosted the nationally syndicated/cable lifestyle television show "B. Smith with Style," that aired on NBC stations in more than 90% of the U.S. and in 40 countries. Her effervescent personality and creative ideas also impact audiences via her appearances on programs such as "Good Morning America," "The Today Show" and "The View." On radio, her twice-weekly vignettes "B. Smart Tips for a Better Life" aired in New York on WBLS-FM, the city's #1 adult 25-54 station.
Smith extends her lifestyle expertise as the owner of three successful B. Smith restaurants. Recognized by Elle Décor as one of America's ten most outstanding non-professional chefs, she opened her first restaurant in 1986; her longtime establishments currently include those on Restaurant Row in New York; in the historic Beaux-Arts Union Station in Washington, D.C.; and the scenic Long Island Hampton village of Sag Harbor.
Smith's flair for décor, demonstrated in the ambiance of her restaurants, led to the development of her first home collection, which debuted at Bed Bath & Beyond in Spring 2001. The B. Smith with Style Home Collection is the first line from an African-American woman to be sold at a nationwide retailer and includes bedding (duvet and comforter sets, coverlets, quilts, coordinated sheets, decorative pillows, window treatments) as well as tabletop, bath ensembles and area rugs, doormats, wall art, candles, bathroom furniture, and paper products.
Her specialty serveware, launched in 2004 has expanded to include over 300 sku's. From duvets to doormats, B's line continues to grow with a variety of pieces for entertaining and home design. At the 2009 October High Point Market Show B. Smith will introduce the B.Smith Home Collection featuring case goods and occasional furniture collections from Hammary Furniture, a division of Lay-Z-Boy and upholstered furniture with Miles Talbot. The B. Smith Collection will also feature area rugs from Surya, mirrors from Roma Home Décor and wall art from Picture Source.
A former columnist for Soap Opera Digest, Smith is the author of two tabletop books on entertaining. Her third cookbook, B. Smith Cooks Southern Style released Fall 2009. In a new twist, B. Smith launched a collection of celebrity DVD cookbooks that combined the best recipes and celebrity appearances from her popular daytime television series that aired for over a decade. She and her husband Dan Gasby have proudly produced four specials for TV One, the lifestyle/entertainment cable network for African-Americans. Her beloved TV Show, The Very Best of B Smith with Style will launch on PBS nationwide in 2010.
Smith is also a coveted speaker who over the past few years took part in the prestigious Harvard Business School’s Dynamic Women in Business Conference. In 2008, she received the Earl Graves Entrepreneurial Award for her contributions to the field. In January 2009, Smith was recognized with a BET Honors Award for Entrepreneurship. She also promoted healthy lifestyle choices: as a national spokesperson for Merck’s "Journey for Control" program and recently speaking before the 2008 Congressional Black Caucus. She also received a Black Enterprise Legacy Award in February 2010. B. Smith was recently honored to partner with Missa Bay frozen foods company to create a line of B. Smith's foods Just Like Home Series (JLHS) foods. The Missa Bay company has been successful in completing sales actions which will introduce some of the JLHS line into the Army Field Feeding Program this fall.
