Logan Square: Neon Letters Removed from Logan Theatre for Repairs

Residents walking north on Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square will notice a dark spot where the Logan Theatre’s neon sign usually glows. The vertical letters spelling the venue’s name were taken off the building on Thursday, Nov. 2, for maintenance.

The signage is missing for only a short time. The theater’s ownership team said in a statement that they are performing repairs and energy efficiency upgrades on the iconic structure. The group stated that this work will make future maintenance easier and extend the life of the sign.

The marquee that displays movie times remains operational. However, the large vertical letters that have illuminated the street for blocks are currently absent. In the past, some of the neon tubes did not light correctly, causing the name to appear in different, incomplete variations at night.

Ownership expects the sign to be reinstalled and lit by mid-November. The theater is located at 2646 N. Milwaukee Ave. and is owned by Mark Fishman, a local landlord who operates M. Fishman and Co. Fishman bought the property in 2010, describing it as a private art project intended to keep the cinema serving the neighborhood.

Fishman reopened the venue in 2012 after a renovation that added new seats, bathrooms, and technology. Since then, the space has undergone further updates, including new screens, an expanded lobby, and a cafe area. Workers also refurbished the marble walls to reveal the building’s original interior design.

The building has a long history in the area. It opened in 1915 as the Paramount Theatre, a single-screen cinema. The Vaselopolis family purchased the property in 1922 and owned it for nearly a century before the current ownership change. The theater has changed hands three times in its 111-year history.