Adams County man owns one of the largest known collections of lucha libre masks in Colorado
Most days, it's relatively calm inside the Legacy Events Center in Westminster, where you will find owner Juan Carlos Reyes prepping each table setting for an upcoming Quinceanera event.
He has been running this space for the last eight years. Seven of those have been working to utilize this space to cultivate his true passion: bringing lucha libre wrestling to Coloradans.
"I don't know if there is anyone else in Colorado that has that many masks in their possession," said Reyes, pointing to dozens of cases of lucha libre masks.
Reyes left Mexico City when he was 10 years old and moved to Colorado. His interest in lucha libre wrestling started when he was roughly 4 years old. That is also when he started his collection of the masks worn by wrestlers.
"It's a part of history, it's a part of wrestling and the lucha libre world, but at the beginning, it was just cool," said Reyes. "It was some of my favorite wrestlers and I knew that I had a piece of them every time I had a mask or an autograph."
Now, he tells CBS Colorado he has collected roughly 1,000 masks and counting. Many of these come from attending lucha libre events, purchasing, or receiving them as gifts directly from the pro wrestlers.
As a promoter through Independent Wrestling Courage, he's also helped showcase some of these matches at the events center, where he has been able to increase his collection.
"In Mexico, there's collectors that have 400, 500 masks. But each one of those masks can be worth a couple thousand dollars, $5,000," said Reyes. "For a collector, it's very important when we have a mask that's being used from the wrestler itself, and when they autograph it, it's made out to your name. It gives it more value because I have a picture of him signing it, using it, [and] giving it to me and that is very special for a collector."
Some of the masks still have markings from the blood, sweat and tears of the wrestlers who wore them. Others are in brand new condition.
This lifelong hobby has become even more meaningful as the years have passed by. He says it is an opportunity to remember his Mexican roots, while being able to pass some of that memory down to his children.
"When I started collecting, my kids were a good excuse to keep collecting, because I figured one day, I'm doing this for them," said Reyes. "Maybe I'll put them somewhere on display. Maybe when I die, they'll sell them and make some money off of it. I don't know."
Reyes will be showcasing some of his collection at an upcoming lucha libre event at the Legacy Events Center on Sept. 24. Information about the event can be found here.
