Lollipop Lane Educare, a Westbrook day care facility serving more than 200 children, will close its doors for good on Friday.

AnneMarie Hebert, the owner who started the business from the kitchen of her Lamb Street home 18 years ago, said she worked into the evening hours on Wednesday hoping to secure a new facility with cheaper rent. When the deal fell through, she said, she realized the business would not survive.

She informed parents Thursday that Friday would be its last day in business. Hebert said she understands the frustration that parents are feeling about the short notice, but that she had to make a decision with the bills piling up and no way to pay them.

“I just literally had to make the choice between paying the light bill and payroll,” she said.

The cost of running Lollipop Lane was astronomical. In addition to a $1 million annual payroll, the things that made it unique added to its costs.

Lollipop Lane is a 16,000 square foot, state of the art facility with a large gym and full commercial kitchen capable of serving more than 500 meals a day to 220 children, from infants to 13-year-olds, Hebert said. Rent in the business park off Larrabee Road on Patrick Drive is $27,500 a month, she said.

It runs two full-size school buses to 11 schools in Portland, Westbrook and Gorham to drop off and pick up children daily, she said.

“I ran it like it was still in my home and that was the demise,” Hebert said.

State reimbursements have also been reduced to 2006 levels, a “big hit” for the daycare provider.

There were warning signs – Hebert said she has been dealing with financial problems for three years – but she was unable to charge her customers more because she knew they were struggling as well. Half of the children enrolled there are on free or reduced lunch, and she cut tuition in half for some families, she said.

“My health has suffered greatly over the past 12 months,” she said.

Lollipop Lane’s doors close at 6 p.m. Friday. On Saturday at 9 a.m., there will be a meeting between parents and directors of other local day care facilities. On Sunday, Hebert is liquidating her inventory by selling supplies to the other day cares.

Additionally, Hebert hopes to find jobs for the 40 staff members she has to lay off. She would like to find them similar work elsewhere, she said.

“We’ve got some really incredible teachers here,” she said.

Talking about Lollipop Lane’s demise brings Hebert to tears, even after she thinks “there aren’t any tears left.” She “cried like it was a death,” she said.

Her passion remains children; Hebert said she would like to get into advocacy work. For now, she needs to take a few days to recover from the sadness of this week.

“I just need to breathe for a day or two,” she said.

She is also concerned for the wellbeing of the kids. She said Lollipop Lane has always taught the meaning of the words “home town,” and she expressed her thanks to Westbrook police, fire and rescue for their assistance over the years.

“This is everybody’s safe place,” she said. “I’m really, really going to miss it.”

AnneMarie Hebert, owner of Lollipop Lane Educare in Westbrook, tearfully reads a card from a well-wisher Friday. The day care center serving 220 children suddenly announced Thursday it would be closing Friday.