The Best Retail Contractors in Boston, Massachusetts 

Last updated on November 12th, 2024 at 08:02 am

From color schemes and designs, to carpentry and finishes, there are many factors to consider when taking on a retail building project. Often, clients are faced with the struggle of finding the perfect contractor capable of meeting their specific needs. This list compiles fifteen of the best retail contractors in Boston, Massachusetts.

These contractors were chosen based not only on their skills, but also their prior experience, specialty services, and expertise. Many of these firms have worked with numerous luxury brands and were the brains behind some of the country’s most recognizable flagship stores.

If you are thinking about building out a new commercial space, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

Siena Construction

38 Sidney St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Siena Construction offers a full range of construction management and general contracting services and works throughout the entire Boston metro area. With nearly three decades of experience, it has established a solid reputation for itself as one of New England’s most respectable builders. The company specializes in not only retail, but also the education, corporate, science, and multifamily sectors. It is affiliated with Associated General Contractors (AGC) and has done work for several local businesses. It is also known for its community projects and its efforts to give back to a number of charitable foundations. Its employees volunteer their own time for a number of initiatives and for the past several years, has replaced sending traditional holiday cards with a digital card paired with a donation made on behalf of its clients. It also annually picks an organization that focuses on the betterment of the community and works closely with them throughout the year. 

The featured project displays its work for University Stationery, a specialty store that sells a variety of stationery needs and is a popular site for nearby college students. Here, its team utilized a unique branding approach and included the creation of a custom pencil sculpture just by the store’s doorway. A large decorative slide rule was also crafted just above the stock floor.

Whiting-Turner

11 Apex Dr. Suite #201A, Marlborough, MA 01752

Led by Timothy Reagan, Whiting-Turner provides construction management and general contracting services, using a design-build approach for each project it undertakes. Since its inception in 1909, the firm has secured its nationwide presence through several office locations on both coasts. It employs over 2,900 skilled professionals and manages a bonding capacity of nearly $4B. The firm is an advocate of diversity and inclusivity in the construction industry, and works as an active member of the National Association of Minority Contractors. In addition, the company works with several other local and regional organizations that work to recognize and empower minority and women-led firms. In addition to the retail sector, the firm also extends its services to a wide range of industries, from mixed-use structures to industrial, office, healthcare, and entertainment facilities.

Although not located in Boston, the following project, the Del Amo Fashion Center in California, best showcases the firm’s skill and expertise. At the time of its opening, it was the largest retail redevelopment project on the west coast, and was considered to be the fifth largest operating mall in the country. This project won the firm the 2016 Award of Merit for Renovation and Restoration from the Engineering News-Record. 

Berkeley Building Co. 

248 Main St., Suite #103, Reading, MA 01867

With a specialization in retail, higher education, restaurant, and hospitality projects, Berkeley Building works as a general contractor, construction manager, and on occasion, an owner representative overseeing an independent general contractor. It takes pride in being one of the few firms in the Boston and Cambridge area capable of fulfilling all three of these roles, and is a leading contractor in the greater New England area. Affiliated with the AGC and the US Green Building Council, the firm employs sustainability practices into each of its projects, thus ensuring the high efficiency of its work. Established in 2010, the firm was founded by Emil Frei with only a handful of employees. Nine years into the business, the firm is now on its way to becoming one of Boston’s fastest growing commercial general contractors, with Berkeley even being featured in the New England Real Estate Journal.

The firm has worked with several known local brands such as Neena’s Lighting, Independence Mall, and Arenal Mall. The featured project shows its work for Taylor’s Stationery, a popular paper and gifting stationery retail store in Needham. 

Dellbrook | JKS

859 Willard St., Quincy, MA 02169 

For five straight years, Dellbrook | JKS has been included in the Engineering News-Record’s annual list of the country’s leading 400 firms, in addition to being named by the Boston Business Journal as the state’s ninth largest general contractor. The firm is a trailblazer in the New England construction industry and brings over three decades of experience. It is the product of the partnership of Dellbrook Construction and JK Scanlan, two firms that came together in 2012. Dellbrook was founded by the late Edward Fish, who was responsible for developing over a billion dollars worth of real estate in and around Boston. JK Scanlan brought a highly team-centered approach to the table, in addition to 30 years of experience, after having built some of the area’s most iconic structures. Together as Dellbrook | JKS, the two formerly independent firms have since secured a solid reputation for itself with its stellar services and streamlined approach. 

With the aid of a design-build oriented process, the company offers a full range of construction packages. Valued at half a million dollars, the following project displays the firm’s work for a Life is Good retail store at Patriot Place in Foxborough. For this space, the firm was tasked with unique finish work and MEP alterations to better modify the store. 

F.W. Madigan  

367 Chandler St., Worcester, MA 01602

Established in 1937, F.W. Madigan is a family-owned commercial construction firm that primarily caters to the private sector throughout the New England area. It is an expert in not only the retail market, but also the commercial, educational, financial, healthcare, and restaurant markets. Now in its fourth generation of builders, the firm utilizes a design-build approach and offers a full range of pre-construction, construction management, and general contracting services. It uses a highly-collaborative process that completely integrates project and workflow management systems and controls. It also provides detailed scheduling through its own project delivery system and maintains open lines of communications with its clients throughout the entire construction process. 

Throughout its eight decades in the industry, the firm has been lauded with numerous awards. These awards include an AGC Merit Award for its excellent safety record and a Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Silver Hammer Award.

D.F. Pray

25 Anthony St., Seekonk, MA 02771  

For the past six decades, D.F. Pray has been providing expert and high-quality design-build and general contracting services on a regional and a national scale. It operates from six different offices in various cities, with one located in Toronto, and showcases a specialization for retail, tenant improvement, commercial, and educational projects. It has a repeat client rate of over 91% and offers a wide range of unique and complete construction packages. From traditional design-bid-build approaches to rollout program management, the firm has proven its top-notch skills, has been published in a number of publications such as the Boston Real Estate Times, New England Real Estate Journal, and the Patriot Ledger. 

The firm is led by Scott Pray, who first got his glimpse into the industry as an apprentice carpenter back in 1974, before working his way up through the ranks. After years of working in the industry, he would eventually succeed his father in overseeing the firm. Given that D.F. Pray has operations in five major cities, it also comes as no surprise that the firm has an impressive clientele list. Most notably, it was the firm behind the Saks 5th Avenue flagship store. 

Dimeo Construction Co.

5-11 Drydock Ave., Suite #2060, Boston, MA 02210

With full-service regional offices located not only in Boston but also New Haven and Providence, Dimeo Construction draws skills from nearly nine decades of experience with the aid of over 225 professionals. It started out as a small family-run contractor in 1930 and has since steadily grown into becoming one of New England’s most recognized and respected construction firms. Since 1971, the Engineering News-Record has ranked it among its annual list of Top 100 construction companies in the country. Additionally, it is the recipient of several awards from AGC. The firm provides preconstruction planning and several in-house services, which saves clients’ time from having to outsource additional subcontractors for their project. Having worked on numerous projects in Southern New England worth over $5 billion, the firm’s records show a 95% repeat business rate.

The firm’s portfolio showcases a number of boutiques and stores for a variety of local and known brands. The following project displays its work for a Lord & Taylor Store located within a mall. The scope of the firm’s work included interior finishes, plumbing, electrical work systems, several handling systems, and the installation of passenger elevators. 

Tocci Building 

660 Main St., Woburn, MA 01801 

Tocci Building uses a design-build approach and offers its clients an extensive range of construction and program management services. It utilizes only the latest Virtual Design and Construction technologies, as well as state-of-the-art Integrated Project Delivery work, and has been providing the New England area with exceptional services since its inception in 1985. It is LEED certified, thus making it equipped for any green building or sustainability efforts a project may need, and is also affiliated with the AGC. In line with this, it has also been recognized by several award-giving bodies for its services and excellent work. Most notably, it was lauded with an AGC Safety Award in 2017 along with a distinction from the Engineering News-Record for one of its projects in 2014. Several of its works have also been granted LEED Silver certifications. 

Extending its services throughout New England, the firm has worked with brands both known locally and globally, including BMW and Crate & Barrel along with its former children’s outlet, Land of Nod.  

Construction Coordinators, Inc.

140 Gould St., Needham Heights, MA 02494

Since its establishment in 1991, Construction Coordinators is known for its excellent safety practices, for which it has been recognized multiple times in the industry. It is the proud eleven-time recipient of the annual AGC Safety Merit Award and has appeared on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list over four times. The firm offers its clients a full array of preconstruction, permitting, construction management, and general contracting services. In terms of market specializations, it works best with retail, academic, corporate, athletic, hospitality, and industrial projects. Given its extensive background, it has also secured relationships with some of the best architects and subcontractors in the area, ensuring the quality and craftsmanship that goes into each of its projects. The firm is affiliated with the US Green Building Council and the NAIOP. Its impressive clientele list includes Samsonite, Eileen Fisher, and Roche Bobois Boston.

The following project displays one of its works for Roche Bobois. Located in a showroom in Boston’s beautiful Ritz-Carlton hotel, the firm was tasked with working on this space without disrupting a separate hotel room right next to the site. With only a thin concrete wall to block any noise it may cause, the firm’s team completed a total overhaul of the space along with installing mechanical and HVAC systems, all while creating stunning interiors reminiscent of Paris. 

Skanska

101 Seaport Blvd., Boston, MA 02210

Skanska caters to a wide range of markets, and through the years has worked on multiple noteworthy projects. From airports and hospitals to large-scale commercial build-outs and state-of-the-art sports facilities, Skanska is one of the largest, most diverse, most capable firms in the country. With over 11,000 employees locally and nearly 40,000 globally, the firm brings in nearly $7.3 billion annually. It has 31 offices in the country’s metro areas and has been recognized by Engineering News-Record as the eighth largest building manufacturer and third largest heavy contractor in the nation. It employs over 400 LEED-Accredited professionals and has worked on over 125 green building and LEED certified projects. 

The featured project best embodies the firm’s work. Skanska conducted the entire construction process without having to close the store or affect its business operations. It was tasked with having to install new false beams that spanned the entire store atrium space, the relocation of several counters, the construction of new freestanding walls, and the installation of shelving brackets.

Hirsch Construction

376 Boylston St. Suite #303, Boston, MA 02116

For the past three decades, Hirsch Construction has had the privilege of serving over one hundred high-end luxury brands in over one hundred cities. Headquartered in Danvers with an office in Boston, the firm has a nationwide presence and has worked on projects from both coasts. To date, it has completed over a thousand projects and has a repeat client rate of 95%. Known for its excellent skills and work on high-profile flagship stores, the firm offers a full range of expert project management and construction services and undertakes no more than 25 projects at a time, so as to ensure the quality of its work. Through this approach, clients may expect to receive complete access to the firm’s resources, decades worth of construction expertise, and its team’s undivided attention throughout the entire process. The firm handles every facet and phase of a project from design all the way to installing finishing touches.

The firm has worked on numerous noteworthy clients throughout its years in business. Given its fine skill and craftsmanship, its clientele list is comprised of several noteworthy brands from a variety of industries. Focusing on its retail work, it has completed projects for Hermes of Paris, Carolina Herrera, Tiffany & Co., Longchamp, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, H&M, Godiva, Tory Burch, and Zara. It has also collaborated with Gucci, Van Cleef & Arpels, Brunello Cucinelli, Richard Mille, and Amazon.

Holt Construction

440 McClellan Hwy. Suite #105G, E. Boston, MA 02128

With over a century of experience, Holt Construction is a full-service construction management and general contracting firm that caters to a wide variety of markets. In particular, it specializes in not only the retail sector, but also the corporate, aviation, education, healthcare, and commercial markets. Additionally, it has delved into government work and mission-critical projects. Its team utilizes a design-build approach, ensuring a smooth process. It works in collaboration with its list of selected subcontractors and vendors, who all go through its thorough qualification process for each of its projects. For all of these excellent services, the firm has been recognized and decorated with numerous distinctions throughout its career. These distinctions include several design awards from the American Institute of Architects, and national rankings from the Engineering News-Record. The firm has also been honored with working with several famous clients. Most notably, it has done work for brands like MAC, Michael Kors, and Victoria’s Secret. 

The following project showcases the firm’s work for Swatch Group’s Omega flagship store. Given the quality and design associated with the brand, the firm was tasked with using custom materials to achieve Omega’s very specific needs. Its team took extra measures to recreate Omega’s ambiance found in its stores, all while installing new and unique features to this space.

Turner Construction

Two Seaport Ln. Suite #200, Boston, MA 02210

With an annual completion rate of over 1,500 projects collectively worth $12 billion, Turner Construction is best known for its design-build and Building Information Modeling services. It works for a vast range of markets, including not only the retail sector but also aviation, higher education, government, entertainment venues, and cultural facilities. With a staff comprised of over 6,000 people, the firm offers the support and accessibility often found in a small local firm, but also has the capacity, skills, and expertise of a multinational construction company. Turner has been decorated with numerous accolades throughout its years in service. Most notably and most recently, it was named by the Engineering News-Record as the Number One Green Builder in the Country. Building Design + Construction named it the Number One General Contractor in the Nation in terms of healthcare, higher education, office, and hotel construction.

Throughout its century run in the industry, it has been the mind behind some of the country’s most recognizable flagship stores and has worked with several luxury brands from a wide variety of industries. It was the firm behind the four-year renovation of New York’s famous Tiffany & Co. located on New York’s Fifth Avenue, as seen in the depicted photo. Its clientele ranges from Coach and BMW to the extravagant Dubai Mall. 

Structure Tone

711 Atlantic Ave., 2nd Flr., Boston, MA 02111

Established in 1971, Structure Tone taps into an extensive array of markets and provides a full range of services, including site selection and interior renovation, as well as new construction and full-scale remodeling and modernization. The firm has worked on numerous retail, commercial, healthcare, cultural, and educational structures; some of its most important projects include work on Unilever’s headquarters, Macy’s, and the Gucci flagship store. Other noteworthy clients include Banana Republic, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Tommy Hilfiger. The firm brings in a construction volume worth over $5B annually, equating to roughly 1,500 projects in a year. Structure Tone attributes nearly 80% of its incoming business to repeat clients.

The Engineering News-Record ranked the firm as the 15th leading contractor in the nation and the top construction firm in both New Jersey and Philadelphia. The firm was also recognized with several awards from the General Building Contractors Association for its cultural, healthcare, and mixed-use work. The following project highlights the firm’s work for Gucci’s flagship store in New York, which best displays its construction and design skills. For this 112,000 square-foot structure, the firm’s team constructed a freestanding fine jewelry store on its top floor and designed an open atrium for its boutique on the first four floors. 

Shawmut Design and Construction

560 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118

In addition to its office in Boston, Shawmut Design and Construction also has operations in Chicago, New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, and is comprised of a highly-skilled and experienced team that has worked on numerous complex projects. The firm’s portfolio presents a showcase of commercial build-outs, historic buildings, healthcare, educational institutions, sports venues, retail outlets, and luxury residential homes. The firm’s CEO, Les Hiscoe, is a professional engineer who has served on the Board of Directors of Rebuilding Together New York City and the ACE Mentor Program New York. Under his leadership, the firm had the honor of receiving Engineering News-Record’s Best Project distinction on two separate occasions. The firm’s work has also made it to the pages of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

With a career spanning three decades, the firm has worked with numerous noteworthy clients, including Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Tiffany’s, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, and Valentino. The featured project depicts one of its projects for Hugo Boss. For this outlet, it opted for black free standing furniture, light plywood finish cabinets, and several mounted light fixtures. It also made use of illuminated shelves, several faux skylights, and interactive “magic mirrors” for the space’s fitting rooms. 

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About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration.

Get Bids For Your Build

If you are thinking about building out a new commercial space, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.