Since the spring of 2021, Republic of Lucha has called South Pasadena home.
The brainchild of professional wrestlers known as the Lucha Bros. and operated by their manager Javier Robles, the store became one of the premier, go-to destinations for Lucha Libre and wrestling merchandise in Southern California, if not, the state.
But on Dec. 31, Robles turned the keys back to the property owners, ending the store’s chapter on Mission Street and moving on with the next phase of their wrestling business.
The memories created at the South Pasadena boutique shop and the surprises that came along with the locale will be cherished, said Robles and the staff.
“It was a revelation how many people felt the connection immediately,” Robles told the Review, adding that visitors would express their love and passion for the sport and culture at the store. The connections were “organic,” he said.
Republic of Lucha opened in March 2021 as a business venture launched by Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix, also known as the Lucha Bros. Robles is not only the manager of the store’s day-to-day operation, he’s the duo’s manager as well. The pair is on the roster of professional organization All Elite Wrestling.
“We accidentally created a brand when we wanted to create a store,” Robles said. “And the store became a world-recognized brand, so everything we’ve done will definitely continue.”
During their time in South Pasadena, Robles said he’s met customers who come far and wide. From Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Lancaster and even the Coachella Valley, fans of the sport have flocked to Republic of Lucha to experience what the store provides.
“We found out there were tons of local residents that have really famous Mexican wrestlers in their family,” Robles said. “That was cool, but what was even cooler were the people who had no idea or interest suddenly opening themselves up to the experience. And that was mostly reflected by the kids.”
Liz Vazquez joined the store’s team two months after it opened. She agreed that sharing the kids’ experiences was one of her favorite moments at the location, highlighting meet-and-greets with the Lucha Bros., especially one with Santa.
“Those are always so much fun to just be part of because we try to mix our culture with everything that we do,” she said.
Robles said families of all ethnic backgrounds would stroll into the store and fall in love with the merchandise on display.
“The little kids that would not otherwise have had any connection or exposure to Lucha Libre masks,” he said. “Little girls would come in and lose their marbles and then ask their moms ‘I want this!’ And it’s a $300 mask. It was really nice. We planted the seed into, I want to say, hundreds of children. I don’t know if they’ll grow to be fans or not, and it’s not our job to make fans, but we do like exposing them to something that will stick with them for [years].”
Ari de Alba, Robles’ wife, also helps run the day-to-day duties at the store. They both agreed that one of the highlights of their time in South Pasadena is constantly seeing children peruse the store.
“You get to experience kids’ first time watching wrestling and all these kinds of things you don’t think about,” she said. “And they’re enjoying it.”
Republic of Lucha is not just a one-stop shop for Lucha Libre merchandise. The 4,000-square-foot space has held live events, including wrestling watch parties and full-fledged wrestling showcases in the parking lot. It’s also a gallery, showcasing art from countless collections and from a wide range of Latinx artists.
Robles said the store’s closure now is part of a three-phase plan, and the next step is to slash the costs. He emphasized that the business was not being priced out of the property, but instead, the move is purely a business decision. He expressed gratitude to the property owners of the location.
“The first years were building the brand, and we did a pretty good job of that,” Robles said. “Now, the next step is to actually make money, so we’re going to tighten it down, not dramatically, but at least cut our expenses in half. We have a third stage of the project that needs us too.”
The group’s ultimate goal is to open a multi-use space, building on what the South Pasadena location offered, adding a full-fledged venue to host wrestling events and even a school to teach the sport.
“We need to have a space so we can have permanent live shows and a school,” Robles said. “L.A.’s first live venue dedicated exclusively to professional wrestling. It will happen. We just need to fine tune it. It’s a lot of money, but we know it can work out.”
Robles is a 14-year resident of South Pasadena and said the reception the store received over the years was “shocking.”
“I love [South Pasadena], and there’s a common notion that it’s the lamest city on earth. I wouldn’t call it lame,” he said. “I would call it quirky because it’s very beautiful. It’s got some really funky, fun, strange stuff that doesn’t exist anywhere in Los Angeles, so I knew we would fit into the quirkiness.
“I didn’t know how we would fit into the likes and the pockets of the locals, but I knew we could fit into the quirkiness. But we were super surprised at how warm the reception was by the residents. It’s super diverse.”
The reception ahead of the closure has blown away the store’s employees as well.
“There’s been a lot of support from all of our customers, whether it’s online or in-person,” Vazquez said. “Everyone has said they’re sad to see us go and leave Mission because we’ve created kind of a different element to the city, but it’s really nice to be acknowledged in that way. It means that we’re doing something right.”
Ari de Alba added: “A lot of our customers have become our friends, so they’ve been here and say ‘oh my, God, I can’t believe you’re going, but wherever you go, we’ll be there.’ It’s a nice feeling to know that, wherever we go, we’ll have people that we know, and meet new ones, too.”
Republic of Lucha came to fruition during the pandemic. With a temporary pause on live entertainment, the trio pondered a business idea. They explored different ideas and entertaining plans to serve food or create a wrestling school, but what they were absolutely settled on was the location: Los Angeles.
“It’s the best market in the world,” Robles said.
During a lunch meeting at a local restaurant, the group noticed a “for lease” sign propped up across Mission Street. With a favorable price for the space, they jumped on the deal and opened in the spring of 2021.
“We wanted a store and event space gallery that centered, as a whole, on the culture of Lucha Libre, and that was to be a flagship store for their merchandise,” said Robles, adding that although the Lucha Bros. sold their products elsewhere, they never saw much profit from it.
On top of selling and printing their own merchandise, the Lucha Bros. offers services to other wrestlers to help them sell their goods. Robles said many wrestlers sell their own merchandise but not through their own store, and as most travel often for work, there’s no set home for their products. The Lucha Bros. changed that with the opening of Republic of Lucha.
“What makes this work is that they’re good leaders,” Robles said. “They’re good creatives. They’re good people. They’re amazing, but they don’t have to compromise any part of their careers or their personal lives.”
Prior to the closure, the store hosted one last event on Dec. 30 — a watch party for the pay-per-view showing of AEW World’s End. It was a full house, with Robles emceeing the event.
As Robles tinkered with electrical issues, the crowd chanted, “One more beer! One more beer!”
In attendance was Steven, a Pasadena resident who asked the Review to not use his last name. The 30-year-old former South Pasadena resident stumbled upon the store in 2022, and at the time, had fallen out of love with wrestling. AEW rekindled his relationship with the sport. Before the watch party, he told the Review he wished he had discovered the store sooner.
“It’s just like my family, it just keeps growing,” he said. “… Ever since AEW came back and these guys opened, every day, I’m just kind of feeding my inner child.”
As of Jan. 10, the group has not yet secured the keys to its next home after exploring options throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The team plans to make a grand announcement on their Instagram account @republicoflucha when a new storefront is found. Regardless, a move from South Pasadena is a major change for Robles, who said he’ll miss “everything” about the location they’ve called home since 2021.
First published in the January 12 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
