Chris and Vashti Young reside in Oregon but their story didn’t start there. Chris grew up in Southern California, spending most of his time biking, hiking and surfing. Vashti grew up in Alaska, spending most of her time outdoors doing activities such as cross-country skiing and hiking. She decided to move to Southern California for college, where she met Chris in 1989 after applying to work at an Adjudicated Youth program, where Chris also worked whilst attending school to become an EMT. They soon got married and moved back to Alaska after residing in Salem during their early 20s to raise their children. Although their occupations at the time differed, one commonality remained consistent– their love for being outside and being one with nature.
Willamette Patio Covers is owned, operated and contracted by Chris, with Vashti being the operations manager. Chris’s background in construction and contracting work easily set him up for success to own a business. He has been in the industry for roughly 30 years and decided six years ago that owning a business was the one thing he wanted to do.
Chris and Vashti sell and install high end patio covers shipped from Germany and manufactured in Seattle. Their covers have powder coated aluminum frames, acrylic opaque glass, are waterproof, rust free and are durable for all kinds of weather. These covers come at a one time cost with a lifetime warranty. “One of our biggest passions is creating a space where people can connect,” said Vashti. Growing up in the outdoors greatly influenced Chris and Vashti to take on this lifetime project.
“My goal is to create something amazing for people that will be life changing,” said Chris. Willamette Patio Covers is one of the top two sellers of their product in the Pacific Northwest. With their covers, they can turn a deck that heats up to 100 degrees to a cool sanctuary that will be enjoyable through every season and climate.
Besides creating enjoyable spaces for homeowners, the Youngs also open their home to whomever may need a place to stay. In their early 20’s, Chris and Vashti became host parents to a 13 year-old-girl who was in need of help. She was the first of many. “When we talk about community we don’t mean an acute euphemism," said Vashti. Although it did come with trial and error, Chris and Vashti helped raise their host daughter and has been a part of the family for 33 years, with her now showing up for family events, coming over for dinner and eventually calling Chris and Vashti “mom and dad.” Being host parents set them up for success with parenting in the long run, learning from the program they were with through guidance and training.
Every now and then they will host families that need a place to stay, opening their home to strangers and lending a helping hand whenever they can. One of Vashti’s long term goals for Willamette Patio Covers is to sponsor a youth sports team, continuing her community involvement not just in her personal life but in her work life.
Although their business is growing, they still have a “mom and pop” vibe to their company. It can be rare to find businesses that stay with you even after the job is done. Chris and Vashti remain close to some of their customers, having invitations extended to them for dinner or casual outings. Their business has a solid five star reputation, making it to the top three spots in 2025 for the Best of Willamette Valley award.
Chris’s goal for the future is to expand their business to Idaho and become a licensed contractor in Washington. “My main goal is not expansion and growth, it’s to be the best at what we do,” said Chris.
They pride themselves in prioritizing organization, safety, efficiency, and loyalty to customers. No business can guarantee absolute perfection, but Willamette Patio Covers can guarantee excellence.
"It's the one product that nobody complains about."