Jack Canal, 66, builder of discount liquor chain

Jack Canal, 66, whose South Jersey discount liquor empire gave Philadelphians a second reason to cross the Ben Franklin Bridge, died Sunday of lung cancer at Samaritan Hospice in Mount Holly.

Mr. Canal, who lived in Hainesport, inherited his father's tiny liquor store on Route 38 in Pennsauken during the mid-1970s. Over three decades, he built an 11-store chain by franchising the concept of selling wine and liquor at low prices.

Pennsylvanians, offered limited choices with stiffer price tags at state-run liquor stores, flocked to his stores.

"For many Philadelphians, there were only two reasons to cross the bridge. The first was to go to the Shore. The second was to buy wine," said Deborah Scoblionkov, The Inquirer's former wine critic.

"At Canal's, you could sometimes save 50 percent on a bottle of wine and hundreds of dollars on a case compared to the Pennsylvania stores," Scoblionkov said.

Until he became ill, Mr. Canal worked up to 80 hours a week at the chain's flagship store in his native Pennsauken, said manager Gary Brady.

"He was a hands-on owner and, no pun intended, a real jack of all trades," Brady said. "He stocked shelves, did the buying - he even did the plumbing."

Mr. Canal, a 1958 graduate of Merchantville High School, loved to fix and build things and would likely have become an engineer if he hadn't gone into the family business, Brady said.

He had two passions in life: his family and golf.

Mr. Canal and his wife, Peggy, were married for 36 years and brought up four children, Kerry Donnelly of Philadelphia, Kate and Kasey Canal, both of Hainesport, and John Canal of Lumberton.

He considered the Merchantville Country Club his second home and spent many weekend afternoons golfing nine holes with his buddy Bob Deacon.

"He loved that place," Deacon said. "And he was loved there. He was a character, known for practical jokes, and there wasn't a shot he couldn't hit."

Mr. Canal was also a quiet philanthropist, Deacon said, funding golf tournaments at the club for a variety of causes.

Despite his gruff exterior, Mr. Canal was quick to help those down on their luck, Brady said.

"He was the patron saint of underdogs," said Brady. "Jack built an apartment for a Vietnam vet and didn't tell us. He would fix our employees' hot-water boilers and pick them up at their houses when it snowed.

"He may not have been a churchgoing guy, but he was a spiritual man," Brady said. "If a man was judged by his actions, his actions were unparalleled."

In addition to his wife and children, Mr. Canal is survived by a brother, Thomas, and a grandson.

A Funeral Mass will be held today at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 1739 Ferry Ave., Camden. Contributions may be made to Sacred Heart School, Sponsor a Child Program, 1739 Ferry Ave., Camden, N.J. 08104; or American Cancer Society, 1851 Old Cuthbert Blvd., Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034.