One of the biggest complaints Crystal Brown encountered as an active member of Calgary’s growing vegan community was the city's lack of shopping options for vegans. So, she took it upon herself to open The Grinning Goat as Calgary’s own dedicated vegan boutique for footwear, accessories and apparel. “Not only was I looking for somewhere to shop for cruelty-free fashion, but many others that I knew were facing the same challenge,” Crystal explains. “Our community was missing the opportunity to shop locally so that’s what makes me the happiest – being able to provide a completely cruelty-free and ethical shopping destination.”
After working as an accountant at an engineering company for 10 years, Crystal took a year off to do some much needed self-exploration. At the time, she’d been vegan for four years and was looking to connect with other vegans in Calgary. She joined a Facebook group and tagged along on an outing to The Alice Sanctuary in Balzac. The sanctuary, headed by Janneane Madill, is a place for abandoned and abused farm animals and is operated by volunteers from the local vegan community.
Crystal loved the experience so much that she kept going back – sometimes three or four times per week. During her time at the Alice Sanctuary, Crystal was given the esteemed honour of naming the first rescued goat. She decided on the name Arwyn, which means “friend of the people.” And that’s why she decided to call her store The Grinning Goat. It’s a nod to Arwyn, who is now happily living out the rest of his life at The Alice Sanctuary, along with four other baby goats Crystal helped rescue in August 2017.
