Corporate employees were told Friday would be their last day of employment.
Customers can still shop in stores and online.
Some shoppers saw great sales, while others came more than once and never saw anything marked down.
The company said several economic factors, including high inflation and interest rates, caused the move.
The GoFundMe had raised over $5,200 as of Tuesday afternoon.
Back in July, Ramsi's Cafe on the World opened a second location in Norton Commons. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed on Wednesday in the U.S Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Division.
The retailer has negotiated to have a total of $375 million in debtor-in-possession financing from its existing lenders and intends to raise $335 million in new senior secured notes, the company said in a statement.
Despite unparalleled aid from the Federal Reserve and Congress, large company bankruptcies spiked 244% in July and August from the same period of 2019.
Employees said there isn't an exact closing date, but the company expects the store to be open through October.
The deal could make sense for both Amazon and Simon as the e-commerce landscape shifts and many traditional brick-and-mortar stores are in collapse.