Where to buy unclaimed airline baggage

But life goes on for your suitcase, too. Eventually, the airline sells it — along with hundreds of other lost suitcases and cargo shipments — to a private company, sight unseen. A year-old line cook acquires your Beats headphones. And a nurse from Florida becomes the proud new owner of the scarf your mom knitted you for Christmas. Every year, 4. Around 25m of them 5. The 0. Chances are, they are purchased by a company called Unclaimed Baggage.

Nestled in the small town of Scottsboro, Alabama pop: Delivered weekdays plus a bonus Sunday feature. Unsubscribe whenever. How does the process work? And how did one company come to monopolize this niche market? Born and raised in Scottsboro, Owens had served in the Korean War and returned to his hometown to sell insurance. Between shifts, he spent every waking hour by his ham radio , using radio frequency spectrum to communicate to friends and strangers.

At 39, he was restless and looking for his next adventure. One day, through the radio chatter, he learned that a bus company in Washington, DC, had an enormous stack of unclaimed luggage it was looking to get rid of. In those days, unclaimed bags were often thrown away or auctioned off to local junk shops. But to Owens, the suitcases — and the intrigue of their contents — were a perfect foundation to build a business on. He ran a small ad in the local paper, informing Jackson County deal-seekers of his new venture.

His boss eventually gave him an ultimatum: Sell insurance, or sell baggage. He quit and set out to turn his side hustle into a full-time job. In constant transit between DC, Miami, Cleveland, and Dallas, he was soon acquiring 3k pieces of luggage per month, with help from a staff of 6 people. Even the most macabre of items seemed to intrigue his customers: A marble tombstone inscribed with a name and a date of death was purchased by a gentleman who made it into a coffee table.

An Amazonian shrunken head found in a suitcase in the pre-TSA days found a home with a doctor in Birmingham. Over the years, the business expanded — largely thanks to a number of secretive, exclusive deals Owens inked with major airlines, hospitality groups, and cargo carriers. Everyone in town knew his name. And his one-of-a-kind business had become an internationally recognized tourist destination. Foster kids must sometimes carry their belongings in trash bags.

Unclaimed Baggage gets over a million shoppers each year. For experienced thrifters, it sounds like a wonderland of treasures waiting for discovery. A word of warning: expensive items like laptops, tablets, phones, and cameras tend to go fast.

Rather than trying to score deals on headphones and smartwatches, head to the Unusual Finds section of the online store. Use the sidebar of the Unclaimed Baggage website to filter items by price, size, color, material, and more. Or, let your inner thrifter out and just scroll through the pages of results for things like chain mail, diamond engagement rings, and tactical gear.

Then there are all the accessories one can think of - like shoes, belts, jewelry, handbags, hats, scarves, gloves, and more. There's everything from adults to infants and toddlers. Some of it is second-hand and used, while others are brand new with the tags. Then think of other things people travel with like laptops, tablets, mobile phones, cameras, smartwatches, souvenirs, books, toys, art, cosmetics, and even the unclaimed suitcase itself.

While one needn't sweat about finding one's baggage up for sale at Unclaimed Baggage, one can enjoy a veritable goldmine of shopping with them. Aaron is a first-hand traveler who has visited more than 70 countries around the world. He is passionate about traveling and opening up the world for other intrepid explorers.

By Aaron Spray Published Oct 01, Share Share Tweet Email Comment. View this post on Instagram. Thinking About A Solo Trip? Related Topics Lifestyle. Aaron Spray Articles Published Aaron is a first-hand traveler who has visited more than 70 countries around the world. Similarly, clothing and other personal effects are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, too.

In the past, the warehouse has sold novelties like a suit of armor and a live rattlesnake. Until recently, people had to travel to the store to sort through the lost treasure and unusual bargains. During Covid times and beyond, however, you can also opt to buy things like anti-radiation boxer shorts and hard-to-find collectible baseball cards from the comfort of your home.

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