Storybook Kids Prep day care center in Westbury closes abruptly

The sudden closure of a Westbury day care on a holiday weekend has left some parents scurrying to find a new place to care for their young children.

Storybook Kids Prep, which also has a location in Bay Shore, announced the closure of its Westbury site on the Friday before Labor Day, leaving some parents in a tough spot.

"We're all just in shock, because no one saw this coming," said Westbury resident Allison Nitzan, whose 3-year-old daughter was set to attend the day care this fall. "People prepaid the tuition for the entire year."

Storybook Kids Prep said the closure of the Westbury site is the result of a business dispute, according to Brendan M. Caro, a spokesman for the day care.

In May, Storybook Kids Prep agreed to acquire and manage the Westbury location from Little Sponges, Caro said in an email to Newsday. But after taking over the other business, Storybook Kids Prep found "significant financial discrepancies resulting in immediate issues with the viability of the business that they purchased."

Storybook Kids Prep accused Little Sponges of refusing to pay thousands of dollars in National Grid bills, having significant employee payroll issues, and refusing to transfer specific direct deposit arrangements, among other improprieties.

"Essentially Little Sponges has cut off Storybook’s ability to operate," Caro said in the email. News 12 first reported the story.

Hana Boruchov, an attorney for Little Sponges, said the company strongly refutes any allegations of bad faith dealings.

"We condemn the reckless decision in [the] disregard it shows the community for them to have closed abruptly without giving notice, to not only employees, but to all of the children of the day care," Boruchov said in a phone interview.

Storybook Kids Prep is offering parents refunds and the ability to send their children to their Bay Shore location, Caro said.

Still, Nitzan said she wishes Storybook Kids Prep had given parents a heads-up that it might be closing so they could look for a replacement.

"This business doesn’t just affect you," she said in a phone interview. "There’s children involved."

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.