RLS Properties is a family owned and operated company with deep Amherst roots. Son of Vertene Bement Shumway, who was a piano teacher in Amherst, and Earl Fitch Shumway, an Amherst town assessor, Robert Louis Shumway grew up on Hallock Street, later moving to East Pleasant Street. He opened Shumway’s Dairy Bar in 1949 which was where the now Brueggers Bagels operates. Shumway’s served ice cream and hamburgers.

Bob later became active in local land acquisition personally and with partnerships, which the family still works with today. This led to apartment developments like Halcourt Gardens (picture below), along with becoming a major stakeholder in hotel development as a general partner in the Hampshire Hospitality Group. Some of those developments are the Rt 9 Howard Johnsons, and later working with his son, Curt Shumway, The Clarion Hotel in Northampton (now redeveloped as Atwood Drive Professional Campus), the late Autumn Inn in Northampton, the Econo Lodge in Hadley, Holiday Inn Express (now Comfort Inn), the Courtyard Marriott, and The University Lodge (now Pleasant Hill Apartments). RLS Properties actively aims to acquire multifamily and commercial properties with the idea to keep things hyper-local in Amherst and the surrounding towns.

Operated by family, now third generation, the group and the few long-time employees are well ingrained into the community offering apartments, commercial and retail space whilst rooting on the Umass Minutemen and Amherst Lord Jeffs (now Mammoths) and the success of local businesses. RLS has apartments for students and professionals in Amherst, Easthampton, and South Hadley. Our office is located at 236 North Pleasant Street in Downtown Amherst – right behind the town cow. Please stop in or give us a call!