Thrill of the Hunt

Written and photographed by Melissa Mahanes

Over 99.5% of bags checked on the major domestic airlines are reunited with their owners right away. If a bag is truly lost, airlines will pay out a claim to the passenger. However, after an extensive three-month search, an unclaimed bag is deemed officially orphaned, a fate realized by less than 0.03% of all checked luggage. That’s where Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, Alabama, comes in. It’s a little over 100 miles southeast of Nashville and well worth visiting if you want an exciting shopping adventure.

In 1970, entrepreneur Doyle Owens headed to Washington, DC, to purchase his first load of unclaimed baggage from Trailways Bus Line in a borrowed pickup truck with a $300 loan. His truckload of luggage would be the genesis of a family business that has grown into a vast enterprise occupying an entire city block and employing many of Scottsboro’s residents. Gradually, Unclaimed Baggage formed relationships with domestic airlines and grew to become the country’s only lost luggage store. Unclaimed Baggage hosts more than one million store visitors each year from every state and more than 40 countries, making it one of Alabama’s top tourist attractions.

Fifty years later, the store processes thousands of suitcases and lost cargo containers each week (an approximately 70/30 suitcase to cargo split), all of which are sorted, cleaned, cleared, authenticated, priced, and stocked via the center’s complex processing system. A staggering 50,000 loads of laundry are processed each month, and approximately 7,000 unique items make it to the 30,000 square foot store each day, there to be discovered and “reclaimed” by new owners and sold for at least a 50% discount.

The atmosphere in Unclaimed Baggage is electric with a mix of southern hospitality. The employees are all amiable and are genuinely thrilled for you when you discover your favorite treasures. They are eager to point out unique items in their extensive jewelry case that house diamonds, gold and silver jewelry, and watches. Right now, they proudly display a 14K marquis cut ruby and diamond ring ($21,757.99), an emerald and diamond bracelet ($14,472.99), and an 18K rose gold and pavé diamond Hermès Kelly Bracelet ($9,465.99).

At the time of my visit, the Luxe Section had multiple pieces of Louis Vuitton luggage, a Gucci “Entrupy” Bee purse ($1,700.00), Gucci and Fendi purses and shoes, and other high-end designer accessories and clothing. Other treasures are dispersed throughout the neatly arranged racks with new and gently used apparel for men, women, and children, a large shoe department, cases of designer sunglasses, electronics (all scrubbed thoroughly of data) from Apple, Samsung, Nikon, and Canon, Beats, video games, and sporting equipment. On the first Saturday in November, their annual ski sale has shoppers camped outside the night before eagerly anticipating finding fantastic deals for the slopes and cold weather.

In addition to the professional sorting that takes place behind the scenes, Unclaimed Baggage hosts daily interactive events: “The Baggage Experience: The Game,” where a lucky shopper (on my visit, it was me) can participate in a suitcase sort. Likewise, “Finders Keepers: The Game” has shoppers picking from three suitcases for prizes.

Throughout the store’s walls are museum-type displays of some of the more unusual finds over the years. Notable items are glittery stage costumes from Donny and Marie Osmond; a signed Paul McCartney roadie tour jacket, shrunken heads, tribal jewelry, and even a full coat of armor. They also have a charming café called Cups with salads and sandwiches (they tell us their chicken salad recipe is award-winning) and serve Starbuck’s beverages.

Unclaimed Baggage also has a massive philanthropic heart. On average, for every item sold, they donate an additional item to someone in need. Their goal has always been to find a purpose for any item possible. They have established partnerships with dozens of local, national, and global charity organizations to utilize as much as possible. Their Reclaimed for Good Foundation has donated millions of dollars’ worth of product and profit to meet needs all around the globe. Reclaimed for Good’s Love Luggage initiative has supported thousands of foster children by providing personalized suitcases to replace the garbage bags many typically use to transport their belongings. Over the past decade, Love Luggage has provided more than 500 suitcases to children in need, including foster children through Kids to Love. Since its inception in 2004, the foundation has impacted the lives of more than 210,000 foster children in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Brand ambassadors from Unclaimed Baggage are currently on a 50-state anniversary tour in “Hugo,” the restored 1965 Chevrolet pickup that has been modeled after founder Hugo Doyle Owens’ original truck, which he drove to purchase his first load of unclaimed baggage. Visitors to their festival tent can help paint Love Luggage and see some of the fun artifacts they display to tell Unclaimed Baggage’s fascinating history.

They also have an online shop at unclaimedbaggage.com that posts many treasures (but not all). So, if you like a little mystery, Ihighly recommend you embark on your own treasure hunt! sl

Unclaimed Baggage / 509 West Willow Street, Scottsboro, AL 35768 (256) 259-1525 / unclaimedbaggage.com / Monday-Friday 9:00am-6:00pm CT, Saturday 8:00am-7:00pm Instagram: @unclaimedbag // Local Bed and Breakfast: Gorham’s Bluff / 101 Gorham’s Drive, Pisgah, AL (256) 451-8439 / gorhamsbluff.com