I am a husband, father, minister, and antiques dealer. I grew up memorizing Bible verses as well as being able to discern if a piece of furniture was a reproduction or a true heirloom. I love discovering cool, old stuff and sharing it with others. Nothing compares to inhaling the soothing, musty scent of an old leather club chair, or feeling the well-worn patina of a 16th century church candlestick. Unlike newer pieces that might cost the same and be had in trendy shops like Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware, antiques possess true character and history. When purchasing antiques, one gains great pleasure not just from the actual act of possession, but from the process of acquiring as well.
My college education, as well as other life opportunities, helped cultivate my fondness for “cool, old stuff.” Equipped with a B.A. in History from Westmont College, I went on to curate the Karpeles Manuscript Museum in Santa Barbara, and later served as Director of the Karpeles Manuscript Museum in Charleston, South Carolina.
Inevitably, I opened my own antique business in 1998 in Pasadena, on Colorado Boulevard with items hand-picked from Belgium and France. Preston Roberts Antiques featured French, Italian, and Spanish antiques that usually were masculine in style or religious in theme. It was always a big rush when my containers would arrive and I called my favorite clients, allowing them a sneak-peek into my treasure trove of finds.
Today, my treasure seeking revolves less around material items and more around people. As the Lead Pastor at Granite Creek Community Church in Claremont, California, I gain great satisfaction in mining for spiritual treasure among the families and individuals we serve.
Joshua and his wife, Meko, have a passion to develop leaders, encourage the arts, and to continue to create a place where people find friends and inspiration to live their best life. Meko is the College and Young Adult Pastor.
His business expertise and passion for inviting the community to work together for a greater goal has helped birth programs such as a Charity Thrift Store, summer meals & educational programs for the undeserved, a Christmas Kid Pack Program, a local food bank and more. The church has also created The Living Nativity, an outdoor drama that involves more than 500 volunteers over six nights of performances every December.