2020 tested every business—from quickly transitioning to remote work to implementing health and safety protocols to shifting revenue streams. Everyone had to be nimble, figuring out how to keep work going while keeping everyone safe. In retail, the brands that were best positioned to adapt quickly were the ones with a strong online presence and omnichannel experience. Similarly, Shawmut was well-positioned to swiftly act—both in the field and remotely. Our world-class safety program allowed us to implement enhanced protocols and create our own health screening platform, Shawmut Vitals, to keep everyone on our jobsites and in our offices safe, and our well-established Shawmut Flex remote work arrangements meant our systems and people were able to productively work from home from the get-go.

With these strong foundational pieces already in place, our teams were able to continue delivering for our clients, and while 2020 brought many challenges, we have much to be proud of, as well. This year was full of strengthening relationships with existing clients and forming partnerships with new ones. Helping our landlord and developer partners prepare for the changes coming to the retail real estate market, we worked with them on repositioning and street-side projects. We broke into new types of work, including commercial recording studios and storefront medical—with close to 10 projects this year alone—and reached project milestones, including topping off on our first-ever car dealership and completing our first ground-up retail project in the West region.

We’re thankful for our people and partners who work tirelessly to continue to drive the retail industry forward, and look forward to what 2021 has in store.