Twin sisters Jean and Nancy Brown of Oswego have cut back and put their professional lives on hold so they can count cans.

In March, Jean, who is a lawyer by trade, bought Camelot Can and Bottle Return from Lyn Lawson. Her son, Allan-Michael originally worked at the business for Lawson and when he wanted to sell the center, Jean bought it.

The sisters painted the floors and the walls and renamed the center to Canalot. Nancy, who is a few credits shy of her master’s degree in social work from Syracuse University, runs the redemption center. She also previously worked as a social worker for six years.

“I’m so afraid if I finished (my degree), I would use it,” Nancy said. “Ever since I started over here, I’ve been so content.”

This is not the first time the twins have teamed up to work together. From 2003, when Nancy moved back from Seattle, until January this year, she ran Jean’s law office. Both the sisters agree that working in the area of law is extremely stressful.

Jean has been able to cut out night court from her schedule and pick and choose which cases she wants to take on because of the redemption center. Before she goes to court for the day, Jean comes in around 8 a.m. and counts cans. She also visits Canalot in between her court cases. This is done in her three-piece suit, high heels and French-tipped fingernails. The sisters remarked on how people think Jean is absolutely crazy.

“Between court cases, this is my favorite place to be,” Jean said. “One of my favorite things to do is count cans.”

The sisters said that their brother is so ashamed of them he called their mother to tell her that they were running a bottle redemption center. “He’s so ashamed of us because we’re highly educated women who want to count cans,” Nancy said. They both said it is about quality of life and laughed about how happy they were doing what they want to be doing.

The reason that Jean decided to become a lawyer is because she was a single mother who wanted to put her son through college. He is only 19 and already a second semester junior. Now that Allan-Michael is in college, Jean can spend more of her time doing something she enjoys.
One of the most rewarding things for the Brown sisters is how environmentally friendly the redemption center is and that they are able to educate others. They encouraged people not to throw their cans away. Even if they feel like they do not need the money, Canalot has 100 different charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society that cans and bottles can be donated to.

Not only do they have charities one can donate to, the sisters also collect Pepsi and Coke bottle tops for one customer who donates them to the Make A Wish Foundation. They also collect can tabs for the veterans. “We love, love, love working with the local charities,” Jean said.
Jean was upset that earlier this year the bottle bill, which would make all plastic bottles redeemable for money, did not pass in the state Senate. Similar bills have passed in other states, which encourages people to recycle more.

“What’s the difference between a Mountain Dew bottle and a water bottle?” she asked. “It’s sad, if you walk by a soda bottle on the street, you’re much more apt to pick that up than a water bottle.”
Nancy said she goes to the dump three or four times a week and sees bottles and cans that can be returned littered throughout the facility. “It breaks my heart,” she said. “They won’t let me pick them out!”

Jean also plans on creating a flyer to give to people to let them know how many plastic bottles are thrown away in landfills.

If the bottle bill is passed, Jean said she would be able to quit being a lawyer and devote her full attention to her redemption center.

“It’s a whole different atmosphere,” she said. “People are smiling, they’re happy, you’re handing them money (and) they’re not going to jail.”

Nancy is a self-proclaimed animal person and is planning on opening a cageless kennel on land that she bought. “Until then, I am happy as a little clam working here,” she said.
Canalot Bottle and Can Return is located on the corner of East Seventh and Bridge streets and is open Monday through Saturday.