WICHITA, Kansas, Feb 05, 2008 -- A Wichita man is using his life-long passion to build his dream business. For Grant Rine, watching an old building being demolished is akin to stripping a lush rain forest to the dirt. I would call him an "urban" environmentalist.

"I recognized that if we're going to tear buildings down we should recycle the good / beautiful materials -- stained glass windows, tile floors, marble, columns -- things like that," said Rine, owner of Old Town Architectural Salvage.

If you've ever fantasized about finding that perfectly kept relic in an old abandoned barn, you will love Old Town Architectural Salvage. Dr Grant Rine opened this place about two years ago and very few people know about it. It's mostly frequented by other antique dealers from all over the country. It is open to the public. This place is that old barn that is stuffed with treasures.

Grant's 14,000 square-foot Old Town building is filled with architectural antiques, such as stained glass pulled from old churches and an Art Deco bar that sat in Wichita's Joyland since the 1950's.

He has been open two years and admits he is not much of a business man.

"I'm guilty of not doing a business plan like my wife told me to do, and I'm doing this strictly from the heart. I have to write a check every month to keep it going. This is not profitable yet."

Dr. Rine is an oncologist; he hasn't quit his day job yet.

Old Town Salvage was started from his collection of architectural antiques and lifelong passion to preserve the past.

At age 15, he was the youngest licensed antiques dealer in Kansas.

He has many sources. People bring him things to buy, he attends flea markets and has buyers at auctions.

"We're about a 50/50 blend of the salvage -- the stained glass the tiles, things people use -- but we like to have old stuff that complements houses too."

Grant wants his business to become self-sufficient. He expects that to happen in about three years.

"Our goal is to make this viable. We'd like to be more creative and do more original creations out of old pieces and create a market for them."

When a customer finds a matching antique door knob or heater grate for his home, Grant smiles because he knows that his concept is working.