The disheartened Westbrook family whose popular Main Street food van was shut down by the state last week for failure to pay sales taxes most likely won’t reopen it.

“It has devastated our family,” Justin Richards, son of owner James Richards, said on Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, the way it looks now,” he said, the family probably will not reopen the business and is hoping that someone would “pick it up.”

Maine Revenue Services closed down Don’s Lunch van on Feb. 4 due to compliance issues.

“We owe $4,400,” Justin Richards said, referring to state sales tax money owed on the day the state shut down the business. “We got behind, we take the blame for it.”

According to the notice affixed to a window of the stationary food truck to alert the public of the closure, the “seller’s registration certificate of this establishment has been revoked for noncompliance with Part 3, 36 MRSA.”

Part 3 of the Maine statutes deals with sales tax.

Alexander Willett, director of Legislative Affairs and Communications at Maine Revenue Services, on Tuesday, citing the taxpayer protection law, declined comment on the closure of Don’s Lunch.

Willett only confirmed the state did take action.

“The sticker describes it,” Willett said.

The state’s closing of the business left a bad taste in the mouths of a number of lunch van customers and community members, prompting a slew of postings on the American Journal Facebook page.

A sampling of the postings reads: “Oh no!” “Big bummer.” “The state needs to chill.” “So much for Maine’s slogan open for business.”

The American Journal contacted the office of Gov. Paul LePage, who was to speak in Westbrook Wednesday night, seeking comment about the revenue services’ action, but hadn’t received a reply by the newspaper’s deadline on Wednesday.

Justin Richards said the state had contacted them previously about the sales tax due, but was unwilling to work out a payment plan with them. He said his father was working when someone from the state showed up, told him to take care of the customers and then close.

Justin Richards said the winter months are slow and the payroll was one of the biggest things.

“The sales tax fell behind,” he said.

Richards said Don’s Lunch had eight non-family employees.

“We feel terrible,” he said. “We did not want to put eight people out of a job.”

Don’s Lunch for years was an icon in Westbrook, where faithful followers went to eat. Connie and Richard Shiers of Gorham frequently stopped there, they liked the food and the people.

Connie Shiers said she feels the state was picking on Don’s Lunch.

“I just thought the state was being a little harsh in closing them down,” Shiers said on Monday.

Some chatter on Facebook postings suggested an online fundraising campaign be generated to raise some cash, but Justin Richards said, “We’re not looking for charity.”

Richards’ grandfather, Don Richards, a former president of the Westbrook City Council, had launched the business in the 1970s. Don Richards ran the business until he retired and sold it in 2000.

Buying back the business his father founded, James Richards had been operating Don’s Lunch at 517 Main St. since August 2012, according to an American Journal article

Ryan Beane of Westbrook said he was “sadly disappointed” a few days ago when he pulled into Don’s Lunch only to find it had closed.

“I’ve been going there for years,” Beane said on Tuesday. “They had the best cheeseburgers in town.”

Justin Richards said the three most popular items on the menu were the Big One double cheeseburger, ­steamed hot dogs and French fries. Donald LaRoche of Westbrook was a regular customer and said on Tuesday his favorites at Don’s Lunch were hot dogs and clam cakes. LaRoche is hoping it re-opens.

George Walker of Westbrook described Don’s Lunch as having good hamburgers, good service and a good place.

“Always was friendly,” Walker said. “A lot of steady customers, I would say.”

The Richards family has long ties to the city. Lewis Lampron of Westbrook is a friend of the Richards family and patronized Don’s Lunch.

“I’ve known the owners all my life. They’re good people,” Lampron said.

Lampron said Don Richards had modeled his lunch van business after Rapid Ray’s in Saco. For years, the Don’s Lunch van parked at the Muffler Shop in downtown Westbrook across Main Street from the Maine Rubber plant.

The late Don Richards is well remembered in the community. Paul LeConte had served with Richards on the City Council.

“Don was a generous guy,” LeConte said.

Justin Richards recalled as a youngster helping his grandfather at the business.

“It was an institution in Westbrook,” he said.

The legendary Don’s Lunch in Westbrook is shuttered. Maine Revenue Services last week shut down the business.Staff photo by Ezra SilkJames Richards supervises the griddle after buying back Don’s Lunch in August 2012. File photoMaine Revenue Services last week posted this notice at Don’s Lunch.Staff photo by Ezra Silk