As businesses across the state continue to close their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Amici announced Thursday it is voluntarily and temporarily closing its Covington location until at least March 31.

"Clearly it is in the best interest to the health of both our guests and employees to close the doors for several weeks," Amici Food Group CEO Mike Torino stated in a press release. "We want to be socially responsible and follow the guidelines put forth by federal, state and local officials. Therefore, it does not make sense to be open when those authorities are specifically advising against dining out and congregating in groups of people."

This is a proactive measure from Amici as the state of Georgia has not yet enforced the temporary closure of restaurants. Amici management believes this is a step that will not only protect the local community, but also set itself up in a better position for reopening once the COVID-19 concerns have dissipated.

"We believe that - if we all pull together as a community and make these kind of prudent decisions - the restaurant industry as a whole will bounce back quickly once things calm down," Torino stated. "It will be tough to weather this storm, certainly, but Amici will emerge stronger and better than ever."

Amici will remain active on its website and social media accounts to keep the public informed on its return.