Little Miss BBQ closing temporarily in south Phoenix amid coronavirus outbreak

Scott Holmes, who's the owner of Little Miss BBQ, opened this unassuming restaurant in south Phoenix in 2014. It quickly garnered national attention, landing as one of the best restaurants on Yelp. But today, this will be the last day the grills will be lit, at least for now.

PHOENIX - It's a sign of the times.

About an hour and a half before Little Miss BBQ opens, the line is usually around the parking lot, but today, only one person was waiting in line.

The owners say this means they're going to have to close up.

"Today's our last day," Scott Holmes said.

Holmes, who's the owner of Little Miss BBQ, opened this unassuming restaurant in south Phoenix in 2014. It quickly garnered national attention, landing as one of the best restaurants on Yelp. But today, this will be the last day the grills will be lit, at least for now.

"Everybody has worked so hard to build up this restaurant and it’s become this great experience and [a] great memory for so many people," Holmes said.

Their hope, once things start to calm down, is that they'll open once again.

"We’re trying to do everything we can to make sure we can come out of this no problem," Holmes said. "We’re definitely not closing forever. I think we started this whole thing with $35,000 and we can do it again."

Holmes says the worst part is saying goodbye to employees that have become like family.

"These are my friends, these are the people that I want to hang out with, these are the people that I love seeing and I get excited about seeing every day, and to think that that’s not going to be happening is going to be very, very hard," he said.

What is coronavirus?

From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion.

In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

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