BoxOffice® Pro - October 2012

on the job and now spends his days scheduling showtimes, organizing
special events, doing bookkeeping and learning to deal with the studios.
“Developing a business is like developing a building,” he says confidently,
clearly a veteran of both fields.
In one important respect, however, Fishman has a clear advantage: he
knows the Logan Square neighborhood, and thus his core clientele, like
the back of his hand. He has worked in the area for nearly three decades
and boasts that it’s the “perfect city neighborhood”—the place to be for
artists, foodies and young professionals. Under Fishman’s direction, the
theater is becoming a perfect microcosm of Logan Square. To please the
stroller crowd as well as the hipper-than-thous, the theater sticks to a
tried-and-true combination of family-friendly, independent and R-rated
films.
But it’s arguably the concession selections, promotional events and
community activities that most distinguish the Logan as a neighborhood
landmark. The concession menu was updated along with the building,
and the Logan now offers upscale snacks sourced as locally as possible.
Revolution Brewing, which supplies the theater with a variety of beers, is
located down the street. Bobtail, a small, local ice cream chain, provides
homemade cold treats. Hot dogs come with Chicago-style fixins’ (poppy
seed bun, yellow mustard, diced onion, pickle spear, sliced tomato, celery
salt, pickled sport peppers). A local chef developed cornmeal-crust pizzas
for the theater.
Plus, there’s always a reason to drop by the theater. The Logan is host
to stand-up comedy open mikes on Mondays, free popcorn specials on
Wednesdays and beer discounts on Thursdays. The screens in the lounge
regularly play creature features and sports games. Midnight shows occur
regularly, and Tuesdays will soon become trivia nights. With the exception
of the free popcorn, anybody can pop into the theater to enjoy these
events, even without a movie ticket. “We’re running it like a family business,
a neighborhood business,” says Fishman.
The renovations have also helped Logan become a staple of the greater
Chicago arts community. The remodeled theater joins the long list of
Chicago’s architecture gems and will host the Chicago International Film
Festival and the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival. It has
served as the location of premiere screenings by local filmmakers and has
become a popular venue for weddings, birthday parties and other private
events. Fishman hopes that the Logan will also host concerts and art
shows in the future.
“We’re trying to find out who we are,” he says, speaking for the
theater. But Fishman might as well also be speaking for residents of
Logan Square and Chicago at large. Thanks to his support of the Logan,
Chicagoans can now enjoy the opportunity to discover who they are—
and do so in a dazzling building that represents their city’s past and
ever-changing present.
OCTOBER 2012 BOXOFFICE PRO 21