Payless to Shut Down All of Its Stores in the US and Canada It is the latest in-person retailer to fall victim to the rise of Amazon and online shopping. Payless filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week and will start shut downs next month. It is the second filing for Payless, which also declared bankruptcy in 2017. The closings will leave 16,000 out of work by May. Following the shut downs in North America, only 420 stores will remain open worldwide.