Platinum Rolex watches, diamond rings, and designer bags were found in lost suitcases and brought to a special store in the state of Alabama, which receives millions of unclaimed luggage each year.
Every year, millions of pieces of luggage are lost on flights in the US and cannot be returned to their owners. After the airlines completed the search and compensation process, these suitcases were sold to Unclaimed Baggage, a store specializing in lost luggage sales located in the town of Scottsboro, Alabama.
Inside the space of nearly 5,000 square meters, tens of thousands of items are neatly displayed in each area of clothing, shoes, bags, books, electronics, and travel accessories. Mixed in are unique items such as scissors for left-handed people, Tinker Bell models hanging from the ceiling or souvenirs from many countries.
Tourists pose for photos next to old suitcases on display at Unclaimed Baggage. Image: Austin Steele/CNN
Mr. Bryan Owens, the store’s owner, said airlines usually take three to four months to try to return luggage to passengers. If all efforts fail, these suitcases will be sold to Unclaimed Baggage, which sorts, cleans and brings the items to market.
According to 2024 data from SITA, an organization specializing in aviation industry analysis, on average, for every 1,000 passengers in the US, 6.3 pieces of luggage are mishandled. More than 99.5% of suitcases were recovered, but even a small portion that could not be returned created a huge number. In August 2024 alone, more than 260,000 pieces of luggage were lost.
According to federal regulations, passengers are compensated up to $4,700 for each suitcase lost on domestic flights. After a period of 90-120 days, companies such as United Airlines or Southwest will transfer the unclaimed luggage to the store in Alabama.
Every day, Unclaimed Baggage receives about 7,000 new items. Used underwear is not for sale. Electronic devices after personal data deletion will be technically checked before being sold. Identification documents, prescriptions, and personal documents are destroyed according to security procedures, and eyeglasses are donated to charitable organizations.
Unclaimed Baggage store space. Image: Austin Steele/CNN
Unclaimed Baggage was founded in 1970 by Mr. Doyle Owens, father of Bryan Owens. A friend who works in the bus industry once told Mr. Doyle that there were mountains of unclaimed luggage that he didn’t know what to do with. With $300 borrowed and a 1965 Chevy pickup, Mr. Doyle drove to collect suitcases and then advertised the items for sale in the local newspaper.
People flock to shop in such large numbers that goods are often sold out. Seeing the potential, Mr. Doyle quit his job in the insurance industry to develop the store.
In 1995, Bryan Owens bought the store from his parents. More than half a century after its founding, Unclaimed Baggage is not only a shopping destination but also one of the most famous attractions in the region, welcoming more than a million visitors each year and selling online to international visitors.
Most of the goods at the store come from suitcases lost on flights. There are also items left behind on trains, buses and in airplane luggage compartments. Last year, store staff discovered rare items such as a coffin key, a suitcase full of wigs, a jar of shark teeth, and even two live snakes hidden in a gym bag.
Costume designer Ret Turner’s outfits are on display at the Unclaimed Baggage store, which were found in lost suitcases in the 1980s. Photo: Austin Steele/CNN
The most special artifacts are displayed in a small museum right in the store. Some special artifacts include metal armor, bagpipes, Gucci handbags containing ancient Egyptian artifacts, and puppets from the fantasy movie Labyrinth (1986). Most notable is the Nikon camera designed specifically for the space shuttle, then handed over to NASA by Unclaimed Baggage.
“This place is like an archaeological dig, we never know what’s waiting for us in each batch of luggage,” Mr. Owens said.
Over time, lost items also reflect consumer trends and travel habits. Previously it was Walkmans, cassette tapes of 1970s artists, today it is AirPods, smartphones, tablets, t-shirts from music tours.
“This is a very clear slice of society and tourist behavior,” said Mr. Owens.
The price at the store is 20-80% cheaper than the original price. The most expensive item ever sold was a $64,000 platinum Rolex watch, sold for half that price. Currently, the most expensive item on the shelf is a diamond ring worth nearly 19,500 USD.
Many customers come here not only to shop but also to “treasure hunt”. Mr. Wade Dubose, 59 years old, calls himself a “super bargain hunter” and can visit the store multiple times a day to find things to resell.
Andolyn Parrish, 28 years old, once bought a used Louis Vuitton bag for $350, much lower than the market price.
Andolyn Parrish and her stack of items purchased at Unclaimed Baggage. Image: Austin Steele/CNN
“There are items I could never afford if I bought them new, but here I can,” she said.
Objects at the store rarely have the opportunity to reunite with their previous owners. In a rare case, a customer bought a pair of ski boots as a gift for a friend, then discovered that her name was engraved on the inside, which were the shoes she had lost.
According to store manager Sonni Hood, Unclaimed Baggage does not see itself as a place to sell or find owners of lost items, but as a place to give them a new life.