Wow & Flutterville, a child care center that formally opened in January, closed after less than a year in operation.
The center formerly used the space where the YMCA used to be and owner Deanna Cohen said it closed over the summer due to low enrollment.
“We couldn’t get enrollment. And I’ve never had that happen in the 15 years I’ve owned my other locations,” Cohen said. The other Wow & Flutterville locations are in northeast Portland, southeast Portland and Cedar Mill.
Cohen said the business did not get a “warm response” on social media, with some criticizing the business for having a high cost and not enough operating hours.
The business was open from 7:30-5:30, like the other locations, and Cohen said people asked for the center to be open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. She said it is illegal for children to be in care for more than 10 hours. For price, Cohen said “it’s not the most expensive, and it’s not the least expensive,” and that the business offers private scholarships, state assistance funding and care on a sliding scale.