Copper Hill daycare faces October closure without buyer
The closure of Copper Hill Child Care would end services for 50 families in Floyd and Roanoke counties, owner Amy Goff said.
A veteran daycare provider plans to close her Copper Hill child care center at the end of next month if she can't sell it.
The closure of Copper Hill Child Care would end services for 50 families in Floyd and Roanoke counties, owner Amy Goff said.
Having opened in 1995, the facility plans to shutter its doors Oct. 30. "I'm really praying someone comes in and buys this center. It's obviously needed in this area, and I've got some great staff that need jobs as well. I just know it's time for me to step back," said Goff.
She is asking $650,000 for the business and its real estate. The property, at 9907 Floyd Highway N., spans nearly 7.4 acres, according to online real estate information.
A listing is planned with Blue Ridge Land and Auction.
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Copper Hill Child Care is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, is served by school buses from Floyd and Roanoke counties, and employs nine people, according to Goff. She said the business is indeed profitable.
Enrollment stood at 56 youth Thursday, well below the center’s licensed capacity of 75. Goff said she lacks the staff to handle additional kids.
There is a job opening, but "it will be ending at the end of October," she said, unless there’s a sale.
Goff’s retirement plans include a trip to California one day after the scheduled closure. She’s bound for Joshua Tree National Park.
That said, Goff said she’d willingly return on a part-time basis to guide a new owner through their transition. “I don’t want to see it close,” she said.
The loss of daycare slots would worsen a shortage of care that's been documented by government agencies and advocates. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation estimates that 684 children under five years old live in Floyd County and that 462 of them need daytime care because their parents work. However, the capacity of all daycare providers (at 11 sites) is estimated to be 332.
Cost is also an issue, though government subsidies can defray costs for eligible families. Infant care, the most expensive, is estimated to cost $13,572 annually, with care for older children costing somewhat less.
