WINSTED — Fans of the glitz and glamour of professional wrestling have been able to get face-to-face with some of the theatrical sport’s up-and-coming stars, who regularly come to the Laurel City for autograph sessions.

The next event will be Saturday, July 11, when "The Platinum Poppa" Rob Eckos and "The Lebanese Prince" Jalil Salaam come to town.

The wrestlers will sign photos and pose for pictures with fans at This and That, a sports memorabilia shop on Elm Street. Store owner Reggie Davis said in an interview this week that the local response has been enthusiastic for the wrestlers he has brought in for meet-and-greets, photos and autographs with fans.

"These wrestlers are great people and they’re really fan-oriented," Davis said, noting that he brings both male and female stars from the Northeast Wrestling circuit. On Aug. 15, Northeast Wrestling’s Amber and Alexxus will make the trip to Winsted. "Kids always have a lot of questions, like ‘When you get hit with a chair, does it hurt?’" And they invariably ask the female wrestlers if they have boyfriends.

Davis noted that female wrestling has been a growing phenomenon in recent years, with competitors focused more on cosmetics than athleticism. But don’t be fooled — these women know how to fight.

Northeast Wrestling has presented live wrestling events at Torrington High School and Bristol High School. Davis said he hopes to bring an actual wrestling match to Winsted in the future. In the meantime, he is helping to promote the careers of up-and-coming wrestlers by giving them some face time with fans.

The wrestlers also like to help people in need, Davis noted.

"Every event that Northeast Wrestling does has charity attached to it," he said. "They’re about promoting their wrestlers and helping the community."

In Bristol, Northeast Wrestling helped sponsor the high school’s Project Graduation and the organization has raised money for the Police Athletic League in Torrington. Suicide prevention and school building projects have also benefitted from Northeast Wrestling events.

While the wrestlers coming to Winsted may not be as famous as Hulk Hogan, Davis said their careers have time to grow.

"These wrestlers are in their early 20s," he said. "So an autographed photo may be worth a lot more one day."

For now, the wrestlers charge $8 for an autographed Polaroid photo, taken with fans; $5 for a signed glossy photo; or $3 to autograph photos brought in by fans.

"The Platinum Poppa" Rob Eckos and "The Lebanese Prince" Jalil Salaam will be at This and That Saturday, July 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. On Saturday, Aug. 15, also from 1 to 3 p.m., Amber and Alexxus will be the featured guests. The store is located at 7 Elm St. For more information, call 860-738-7253.