The Frank and Son Collectible Show, which held a large number of pro-wrestling events in the early 2000s including the first Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show, will be moving to a different location in City of Industry, CA. Frank and Son has been at its current location on San Jose Ave. for over 20 years.
The move was announced yesterday show organizers said they will be moving to the former Sam’s Club warehouse store at 17835 Gale Ave. The announcement also said there will be “over 800 parking spaces available so you will always find parking” and air conditioning, which is not available in the current location.
The move is scheduled to take place over the next several weeks. Once the move is complete Frank and Son will add Sunday operating hours to their schedule to go along with their current Wednesday and Saturday hours.
Frank and Son has had a long history with pro-wrestling in Southern California. It is the original home of Bart Kapitzke’s Alternative Wrestling Shop, which sold hard to find wrestling videos in the late 1990s and would carry flyers for area independent wrestling events, introducing a number of fans to independent wrestling.
The building held its first pro-wrestling event on March 23, 2002, when FMLL and the Alternative Wrestling Shop promoted a joint show in the building’s event center. That event featured La Parka (now L.A. Park) and Shocker defeating Super Boy and Captain Oro in the main event. Hardcore Kidd (Aaron Aguilera, aka Jesus in WWE) and King Jakal took part in the first wrestling match in the building’s history.
In June 2002, Revolution Pro, which had been without a venue for three months, began holding monthly events in the building. Revolution Pro would hold events at the venue until the promotion folded in late 2004.
The largest attendance for a wrestling event in the building’s history was just over 300 on November 29, 2003, for Revolution Pro’s fourth-anniversary show which featured a mask versus mask match between Super Dragon and Taro.
The Alternative Wrestling Shop began to hold solo promoted events at the venue in November 2002, becoming the Alternative Wrestling Show, adding a second monthly wrestling event at the building.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla held three early events at the venue, including their first show on July 26, 2003. Frankie Kazarian became the first PWG World Champion at the Frank and Son arena during PWG’s third show when he defeated Joey Ryan in the finals of the Bad Ass Mother 3000 tournament.
Frank and Son first opened in 1988 and is currently open 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Admission and parking are free. Several shops there currently sell wrestling memorabilia and the building frequently features autograph signings with pro-wrestling stars. Mick Foley and Honky Tonk Man are scheduled to have signings there next week.
