[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]lan Canter started as a pickle packer and delivery boy when L.A. landmark Canter’s Deli first moved to the Fairfax District from Boyle Heights in 1941. The restaurant quickly became a fixture in the once-fledgling Jewish neighborhood, and eventually a popular watering hole for Hollywood celebrities and rock musicians.
The Canter family announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page Friday that company patriarch Alan Canter has died. He was 82.
“He kept his family legacy alive and built an L.A. landmark,” the 24-hour deli said. “He worked 18 hour shifts and took pride in hand-cutting each fruit cup. He taught his children how to run this business just as his father taught him. We are deeply saddened by this loss.”
A memorial will be held Monday, January 28 at 12:30 p.m. at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, the post said.