Photographs courtesy Whitaker’s Garage Door Store.
Casarra Cover, co-owner with her husband Jonathan Cover of Whitaker’s Garage Door Store, was an honoree at the Westfair Business Journal’s 2025 Millennial & Gen Z Awards. Since taking over the business from her mother, Faye, in 2008, Casarra has grown the company from $600,000 yearly revenue to around $6 million, handling the executive side of the business while Jonathan operates the labor side.
We recently spoke with Casarra to learn more about Whitaker’s – and when we foolishly suggested that garage doors, while essential, were not a particularly “sexy” sell, she quickly put us right:
“Garage doors actually can be quite glamorous, even on a tight budget. Typically, up to a third of a home’s façade is covered by the garage door(s). We can help a client customize their door with a unique mural pattern, which we’ve done, custom laser-cut patterns, vintage glass, unique stain colors, interesting hardware. Our goal is to make you smile every time you pull up to your home.”
The business was founded in Yorktown Heights by your grandfather, Henry Whitaker. Can you give us some further history and explain where things are at now?
“Henry B. Whitaker’s Doors (DBA Whitaker’s Doors) has existed since 1955. The workshop moved from Yorktown Heights in the mid-2000s to Brewster. Now, since our acquisition of Mark May’s Garage Door Store (Mark May was Henry Whitaker’s apprentice, who went on to open his own business), we are located in (May’s old building) in Peekskill — and we’re here to stay.”
What does the move to Peekskill mean to you?
“The move to Peekskill is very personal. It feels like coming home. I grew up in Mohegan Lake and have spent my life in this area. We are so excited about the growth northern Westchester is experiencing and are honored to be among the committed small business owners laying down roots here. It’s been a joy getting to know the people of Peekskill better.”
As the co-owner of a family business, can you comment on any pressures this brings with it?
“There’s pressure in any business, especially when you care about your clients to the extent that we do. We’ve managed to make the ‘family business’ dynamic work for us, not against us. Our team is genuinely close-knit, and we absolutely enjoy working together. That’s not to say there aren’t disagreements. We just make it a point to communicate clearly and make sure everyone knows how valued they are at the end of the day.”
What’s the life expectancy of an average set of garage doors?
“A typical garage door is expected to last between 15 and 30 years. Believe it or not, solid woods doors – which we specialize in and are our personal favorite – have amazing longevity, 20 to 30 years. Fiberglass and steel are estimated to last 15 and 25 years, respectively. Of course, we encourage regular maintenance, because lifespan depends on several factors, including how nice you are to your doors.”
Tell us about any technological advances in garage doors in recent years.
“Well, AI is taking over the world, right? It’s kind of the same in garage doors, believe it or not. Smart technology is sweeping the industry. You can now purchase smart openers that can be controlled from anywhere via an app. You can open and close your doors, set timers, see the interior via a built-in camera, control the temperature, lights. It’s amazing, especially in inclement weather when you can’t easily get out of the car to open your door with a traditional keypad; or when you’ve driven three blocks away before you realize you forgot to close the door, you can just do it from your phone.”
What is the process for designing an attractive garage door?
“Communication is key. I will sit with a client and sketch out a design while we talk (or they can, if they’re artistically inclined). We chat until we come to a mutual understanding of what they would like to see, and then we make sure it will meet their functional needs. Once we can marry those two facets of a project, we’re off to the races. Then it’s a matter of building, painting, cutting – the fun stuff.”
