Deli owner Lou Koch dies

Remembered for his humor Lou Koch, the co-owner of Koch's Take Out Shop, died yesterday in the Acme Market parking lot on City Line Avenue, according to a sign posted outside the store at 4309 Locust St. An Acme employee said that Koch -- who left the store at approximately 10:30 a.m. -- had previously complained of chest pains. Three hours later a passerby noticed Koch slumped in his car, which was still parked in the lot, and notified police. An official at the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office said Koch was taken to Lankenau Hospital in Montgomery County. But the hospital would not confirm the information or release Koch's cause of death. A sign currently posted on the deli's door reads, "Store closed due to the death of Lou Koch." Famous for its hefty sandwiches and award-winning milkshakes, Koch's deli often draws customers willing to wait an hour just to place an order. Koch and his brother Bob have often helped patrons pass the time with free samples -- and their sense of humor. Jan Zucker, who owns Lee's Hoagie House on Walnut Street, said he will remember Koch as a devoted businessman. "He and I were of the same philosophy that money wasn't the most important thing in all instances," Zucker said. "It was taking care of the community and the students." Students who frequented the deli said Koch's personality helped make the store an off-campus landmark. "He brought a sense of community to Penn," College senior Jon Slotkin said. "Whether you were a Penn student or a local, he always greeted you with a hello and a joke."

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