The line wrapped around Schewel's furniture store in Harrisonburg.

Hundreds of pro wrestling fans, with pictures and DVDs, action figures and replica belts in hand, showed up Saturday afternoon for the chance to meet "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

Flair held an autograph signing Saturday as part of the store's anniversary sale.

While waiting for the 16-time world champion, fans at the front of the line talked about arriving as early as 10 p.m. Friday and sleeping in the Schewel's parking lot.

"I'm honored," Flair told the fans as he signed their memorabilia.

Flair retired from pro wrestling in 2008, after competing for more than 35 years. He now serves as a spokesperson for companies such as Schewel's, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola.

Flair admitted that Saturday was his first visit to Harrisonburg in years.

But he reminisced about wrestling at the city's old high school while Harrisonburg alum Ralph Sampson, then one of the top high school basketball recruits in the country, watched from the front row.

"We wrestled here a lot. At least once a month all through the 70s and probably up until the early 80s," says Flair. "It was a big market for us, and we did really well.

"And this whole part of the country, the Shenandoah Valley is phenomenal," adds Flair.