A Louisville-based café and bakery chain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Please & Thank You, LLC is known for its chocolate chip cookies, specialty coffee, and more dishes.
The latest case filings suggest that the bakery brand, which operates across the Louisville area and Indianapolis, is set to continue operating during the proceedings.
Please & Thank You, LLC Seeks Chapter 11 Protection
The filing comes less than three years after the company was recognized as the nation’s ‘Best Cookie Shop’ by USA Today.
Case records, as available on PACER, state that Neil C. Bordy of Seiller Waterman LLC is the legal counsel for the company in the bankruptcy court. The records also mention sole member and president Brooke Vaughn as the authorized representative.
Operations to Continue as Normal
A document called ‘Resolution of the Sole Member’ added in the petition shows that a special meeting was held on May 29, 2026, where Brooke Vaughn formally decided that the Chapter 11 filing was in the best interest of the company.
The filings state that the Chapter 11 process is intended to help the company address obligations to employees and creditors while restructuring its operations.
The resolution also explicitly states that actions should be taken to “maintain the ordinary course operation of each Company’s business,” hinting that daily operations will continue at Please & Thank You, LLC.
Other than this, the café and bakery shared its summer menu through a Facebook post on June 1, 2026. This reiterated that the company is actively serving its cookies, espressos, and more offerings.
Petition Indicates Serious Financial Distress
The troubles of Please & Thank You, LLC reflect in the case filings, which states that after administrative expenses are paid, funds may not be available for the unsecured creditors.
As of now, its 20 largest unsecured creditors, as given in the filings, include AV RCP LP, Chase Ink, Costco Anywhere, Pacers Basketball LLC, Bank of America, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, and others.
The largest unsecured creditor is AV RCP LP, whose claim involves a WeFunder-related investor loan of $200,000.
The company’s financial imbalance is shown through the case records as well. According to the summary of assets and liabilities, while its liabilities are more than $4 million, the assets are a little over $330,000.
Other details from the Chapter 11 petition are summarized here:
- Filing Date: June 2, 2026
- Court and Jurisdiction: U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Kentucky
- Type of Filing: Active, Voluntary Petition
- Chapter: 11
- Case Number: 26-31515-mbn
- Estimated Assets: Between $100,001 and $500,000
- Estimated Liabilities: Between $1,000,001 and $10,000,000
- Estimated Creditors: Between 200 and 999
- Reason for Filing: Restructure business under court supervision
About the Company
Founded by Brooke Vaughn, the Louisville-based café and bakery chain provides a range of offerings. Highlight items include Chocolate chip cookies, specialty coffee, and merchandise. Its outlets are spread across Kentucky and Indiana as well.
The website states that Please & Thank You, LLC offers wholesale products, online cookie shipping, grocery distribution, office catering, and franchise opportunities. In addition, it describes the company as a partner of the Indiana Pacers and the Indiana Fever.
The company’s recognitions over the years include being one of the “Best Coffee Shops in America” by Food & Wine in 2022. It was also “Best Cookie Shop in the U.S.” by USA Today in the next year.
The company has also been featured in Cosmopolitan, Martha Stewart Living, GQ, Southern Living, and USA Today.
The filing marks a notable new chapter for the Louisville company, which expanded into multiple markets and received national recognition over the years. Document filings could provide more clarity into its operational status in the long run.
