Langer's Deli faces closure due to crime in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES – Say it's not true – the iconic Langer's Delicatessen restaurant in Los Angeles is apparently facing closure.

According to Norm Langer, the owner, crime and homelessness in MacArthur Park could be the reason the restaurant may close its doors for good.

“It's not safe,” Langer said. “There are too many needles. Too much fentanyl. Too many drugs.”

And he's not wrong. The nearby park outside the restaurant is full of trash and violence. A few months ago, a murder case was being investigated nearby in which a homeless man had dragged a body into the lake.

“People are walking around here, taking off their clothes and walking around naked. You know, it's crazy. I don't want to spoil anyone's appetite, but there is a problem with defecation on sidewalks because someone is under the influence of drugs. There's something there. They're trying to get money with fentanyl. They're lying unconscious on the sidewalk and the city is not doing anything about it,” said Norm Langer.

FOX 11 reached out to Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, but she was unavailable for comment before Monday night's newscast.

If Langer's were to close, it would mark the end of an era that dates back to 1947, when the restaurant was founded by Norm's father, Al Langer.

Norm Langer is calling for better lighting at night, regular garbage collection and the removal of vendors from the area. The owner is complaining about the state of the neighborhood around his restaurant.

“Why am I pushing this cart uphill?” he said.