New Kensington pro wrestling school hosts event for vendor collective

Hand-crafted earrings and trinkets, glass pendents, vintage clothing from the 1960s and pins made from old magazine photos are not things usually found at a pro wrestling venue.

However, all of that and more was on display Saturday as part of Shops and Suplexes, an event at the wrestling school Technique 2 Train Pittsburgh in the heart of downtown New Kensington.

It was organized by Dormont resident Toddy Tondera, owner of the vintage clothing business Brick Body Kids.

Tondera described the setting as a “queer-friendly vendor collective” in which all sellers were part of the LGBTQ community.

“We are all a collective that do these vendor markets quite often,” he said. “We wanted to do one outside of the city (of Pittsburgh) because we’re trying to build something here in New Kensington. It’s a place off the beaten path a little bit. … I am not a wrestler, but there will be some wrestlers selling merchandise here.

“A lot of us all live in Pittsburgh, but we come to New Ken because we want that small-town, hometown feel. This is the first vendor event here. We want to see who comes out.

“We’re confident that if people come out and check out what these artists do in January, we want to do one when it’s warmer.”

Technique 2 Train Pittsburgh is owned by pro wrestler Mike Young, a Lower Burrell native living in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood.

“I’ve worked with Toddy for all of my events for the last two or three years,” he said. “I always wanted this space to be more than just a wrestling school.”

Young opened his school in August. He said things are starting to gain momentum for him and other related businesses post-pandemic.

“There was a lot of evolution in the economy and how people invest in live entertainment,” he said. “I think it was the right time to start an entertainment business because people are so excited post-pandemic to go be entertained again: Go to live events. Be in a building with their friends. Cheer for people.

“Whether we’re doing live music here, whether we’re doing pro wrestling, whether we’re doing one of the many other things we offer, people just want to go out and do more than they did before because of the pandemic.

“In my mind, it was very good timing. … It’s a tiny building, but we fill it up nice.”

The wrestling portion of Shops and Suplexes was scheduled to take place later Saturday night.

Brick Body Kids was the presenting sponsor. Other businesses involved included Voodoo Brewing, Ghost Coffee Collab, Tacqueria Pastorcito, Goopbug, Honor Student Vintage, Streekers Vintage Switch and Signal Skatepark, Two Timers Vintage and Enjoy Wrestling.

One of the vendors set up at the entrance was Weird Little Earrings, owned by Bekki Weber of West View.

“I repurpose found toys and other objects into earrings partially to spread joy and also to keep plastic waste out of landfills,” she said. “I started making earrings for myself a long time ago, decades probably.”

Her imagination and experience working for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh have helped her hobby grow.

Weber said she got involved in the collective through Tondera and was excited to be part of his event.

“I like to come out here and be around like-minded people,” she said. “At smaller events like this, I don’t even necessarily care how much money I make. It’s just nice to get out of the house and be around people who are like me.”

Eric Frankenberg brought about 600 pins from his business, Frankenpins. He creates pins ranging in size from a quarter to a drink coaster by using photos from old “Pittsburgh,” “People” and “Rolling Stone” magazines.

“There’s always someone getting rid of a big pile of magazines,” said Frankenberg of Edgewood. “I’ll show up at estate sales and see what I can find. It’s like a scavenger hunt almost. It keeps me busy, something to do with the hands.”

Frankenberg said he used to work at an office in New Kensington helping people sign up for state assistance such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

“There’s definitely a whole lot more going on down this stretch than there was a couple years ago when I was working here,” he said. “It’s interesting to come back (to the city).”