Season 3, Episode 18: Exploring the World of Lost Luggage

In a small town in Alabama, the largest retailer of unclaimed baggage—and all the surprises hidden within them—encounters everything from exotic pets to luxury handbags. On this week's episode of Unpacked, we dive into the unexpected finds of this fascinating business.

Transcript

Aislyn Greene, Host: I’m Aislyn Greene, and welcome to Unpacked, the show that unravels a new and often puzzling topic in travel each week. This time, we’re stepping into the world of Unclaimed Baggage, a.k.a. the world’s lost luggage headquarters. Located in Scottsboro, Alabama, it’s a massive store where you can buy suitcases—and their mysterious contents—that airlines couldn’t return to their owners. With over 7,000 new items arriving every day, there’s always something new to discover.

Although Scottsboro is a quaint town of just 15,000 residents, Unclaimed Baggage, founded by entrepreneur Hugo Doyle Owens in 1970, has grown into a must-visit destination. Today, we’ll hear from Bryan Owens, Hugo’s son, who now manages the company.

Bryan witnessed his father grow the business from the ground up, and he shared how this experience shaped his perspective on life. He also discussed the company’s efforts to give back in significant ways. In addition, Bryan played a key role in creating Unclaimed Baggage’s inaugural Found Report, a comprehensive look at over 2 million items that entered the store in 2023. We discussed how they manage the sorting of such a massive volume of items, including some of the most bizarre finds, like live snakes, and what these belongings say about the world we live in today.

Welcome to Unpacked, and thanks for tuning in. Let’s kick things off with a question that’s probably been asked a thousand times: What exactly is Unclaimed Baggage?

Bryan Owens: Unclaimed Baggage is a unique business, the only one of its kind in the United States. We operate both a physical retail store and an online shop, where we sell items that have been lost during travel. These could be belongings left behind on airplanes or checked in and forgotten by their owners. We have long-term exclusive agreements with transportation companies, which means we receive these items, often sight unseen, from across the country—and, in many cases, from around the world—to our location in Scottsboro, Alabama, a small town of 15,000 nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in northeastern Alabama.

Aislyn: How did it all begin? What’s the story behind the creation of this company?

Bryan: My dad founded the company in 1970. At the time, he was working as an insurance salesman. He came from a long line of entrepreneurs and always dreamed of having his own business. One morning, while talking with a friend, he said, “I’ve got more lost luggage than I know what to do with!”

At the time, he was working with Trailways Bus Lines, one of the two largest bus companies back then. That’s the way entrepreneurs operate: they see a need and then figure out how to meet it. So, he borrowed $300 from one of my grandfathers and a pickup truck from another to haul his first batch of luggage.

Picture this: a 1965 Chevy C10 pickup truck piled high with bags in the back. He brought them back, rented a modest house near downtown Scottsboro, and set up shop. He laid the contents out on card tables, priced everything, and opened the doors to the public. From there, it took off like wildfire.

Aislyn: No way! So right from the start, there was something about this idea that really sparked people’s interest.

Bryan: Absolutely. It was incredible to watch.

Aislyn: And the business has certainly changed a lot since those early days. Can you tell me a little about how it’s evolved and what it looks like today compared to those humble card tables?

Bryan: Absolutely. We primarily operate in three main areas. Every week, we receive tractor-trailer loads of unclaimed and lost items. We run a retail store in Scottsboro, Alabama, which stretches across a city block. Shoppers travel from all 50 states and over 40 countries to visit. When you walk into our store, you'll first pass through a small entry area that acts as a mini museum, showcasing the history of our company, which spans 54 years. Then, as you enter the main store, it’s bright, clean, and organized, filled with a lot of energy and fun. Every day, we stock 7,000 brand-new items that have never been seen before. Even though we have several hundred team members, we still consider it a family business. My wife, Sharon, is heavily involved, and I have three sons who contribute to our growth.

Our middle son launched our e-commerce platform in the summer of 2020, right in the midst of COVID. When the governor ordered us to shut down for a few months, we had to adapt quickly. He had already been working on the idea of taking the business online, and we managed to launch our site in June 2020.

Today, we serve customers from all 50 states and over 100 countries worldwide. On our online platform, we list around 6,000 items each week. It's a constantly changing inventory, which is one of the things that makes us stand out. The store, too, is always evolving, which keeps things fresh for both customers and employees.

Aislyn: That’s so dynamic! I’d love to hear more about the items you sell. But first, I’m curious—what was it like for you growing up with this store? Were there any items you found particularly exciting or things you managed to take home as a kid?

Bryan: The business started when I was in elementary school, and it was very much a family operation from the beginning. My mom, dad, brother, and I were all hands-on, and I worked there afternoons, weekends, and during the summer. At that age, probably around 9 or 10, I didn’t really understand what starting a business meant. But looking back, even though I didn’t know it at the time, it was exhilarating to see so many people flocking to the store—it was truly fascinating to witness.

You have to understand, I grew up in a small town like Scottsboro, so my exposure to the world was limited. But working in this business really opened up my perspective. We’d see luggage from all over the world, and people often take their best possessions with them when they travel. It was a window into a much broader world than I was used to. The things people packed, the types of books they read, the cameras they used—all of it was so much more diverse than anything I’d encountered in my small town.

Aislyn: That’s incredible. Here's another question that I know a lot of people wonder: How is it that so many items can’t be returned to their owners, especially when they’re some of their most treasured possessions?

Bryan: Well, it’s important to remember that we don’t just work with airlines—we deal with a whole range of transport industries. I like to think of it as the world of Trains, Planes, and Automobiles, which, by the way, is one of my favorite movies.

Aislyn: Yes, great film!

Bryan: As far as airlines go, they actually do an excellent job of getting lost luggage back to its rightful owner. Only a very tiny percentage of bags are truly lost. Most of the time, bags are delayed, but they show up on the next flight or are delivered to your doorstep the following day. The process works like this: for the first few days, airport staff at the airline work on tracing the bags. They try to find the owner and reunite them with their luggage quickly. After that initial period, the airlines usually have specialized teams who take over, and their job is to perform more thorough and intensive searches to track down the missing bags.

At the end of the day, there are still items left behind—often those without any passenger identification. These are the bags that haven’t been matched with their owners. The tracing process, which is typically about 90 days by industry standards, either results in finding the bag or the airline paying out claims for the lost items. Once that period passes, the airline has to make a decision about what to do with the unclaimed bags. This is where we come in. We specialize in giving these items a second life.

We handle the items in three main ways, as I mentioned earlier. About a third of the items we receive get recycled. Another third are sold either in our physical store in Scottsboro, Alabama, or on our website, unclaimedbaggage.com. The final third? Those items are repurposed and given a second chance through our foundation, Reclaimed for Good, where they’re donated to some of the country’s largest charities.

Aislyn: That’s incredible! So how do you determine which items go into the store or online? Do you have a team that evaluates each bag as it arrives?

Bryan: We actually talk about that a lot. There’s a lot of discussion on how to best assess and categorize each item.

Aislyn: Really?

Bryan: Yes, exactly. You can imagine the process. All of these items arrive at a single warehouse, and it’s almost like a reverse manufacturing process. Instead of building something, we’re deconstructing bags and searching for hidden value in even the smallest items. There are often lively discussions about how each item should be handled, like, ‘Should this go online or in the store?’

Aislyn: Has there ever been a particular item that sparked a particularly heated debate?

Bryan: Oh, definitely. We’ve had a couple of Birkin bags come through this year, and there was a lot of back-and-forth about whether we should list them online or put them in the store. It’s a fun conversation because, well, we're talking about a $25,000 handbag! I can hardly imagine carrying something like that around in public, let alone checking it into a flight.

Aislyn: I know! The thought of packing something so valuable and trusting it to be separated from you for an extended period is mind-blowing.

Bryan: Exactly. It’s a bit surreal.

Aislyn: That’s a whole different way of living, don’t you think?

Bryan: Mm-hmm. It is. We can both agree that it’s not something we can fully relate to, though.

Aislyn: You mentioned having relationships across various industries, like your ‘Trains, Planes, and Automobiles’ approach. You’ve worked with airlines, but do you also collaborate with companies like Amtrak?

Bryan: Absolutely. We get items from all kinds of sources—trains, bus lines, and even hospitality and resorts. Each week, thousands of items come through our doors. What’s really fun about it is that every day feels a bit like Christmas—you never quite know what you’re going to find.

Aislyn: You’ve come across some truly unique items over the years, and you just released your first annual Found Report. Can you share a bit about that report and tell us about some of the more unusual things you’ve discovered—and even sold?

Bryan: Yes, we just released our first-ever annual report, which we’re calling the Found Report. It’s really exciting because we have a unique perspective on the world of lost and found that no one else has. Over the course of a year, we see millions of items, and as we sort through bags or boxes filled with lost possessions, we come across some pretty surprising things. This year, for example, we’ve had two live snakes.

Aislyn: Oh my gosh.

Bryan: Yes, two snakes! One of them was an African sand boa. That was a memorable moment.

Aislyn: Wow, that’s incredible.

Bryan: Yeah, we ended up calling the local animal control to handle it.

Aislyn: I’m guessing those aren’t up for sale?

Bryan: No, definitely not. But we did have two incredible Hermes Birkin bags come in, as well as 19 Rolex watches over the past year. Those tend to go quickly. Oh, and there was also a life-sized Winnie the Pooh plush.

Aislyn: In a suitcase?

Bryan: Yes, absolutely. It was in a large suitcase, no doubt about it.

Aislyn: That must have been the only item in the suitcase, right?

Bryan: We’ve seen all sorts of things. A Halloween card from the ’80s, personally signed by President Richard Nixon. A hand-painted ostrich egg from South Africa. Multiple hoverboards that were left on airplanes—can you believe that? Oh, and we once had a diamond tennis necklace worth $35,000 come through our doors.

Aislyn: Oh wow. That person must have been devastated.

Bryan: We’ve gotten some incredible jewelry, and when we first launched our online store, I wasn’t sure how people would feel about buying fine jewelry online. But since we’ve been around for 54 years, people know they can trust us, so it really took off.

Bryan: Jewelry is actually one of the categories where we list items both in-store and online. You can see it in person if you want, or you can shop for it directly on our website.

Aislyn: And I’m sure you must have appraisers who help determine the value of items like jewelry or books, right?

Bryan: We have a team of in-house experts who can assess and appraise most items, but for high-value goods, we work with certified gemologists to get professional appraisals. And given the prevalence of counterfeit goods—think designer bags and sneakers—we take extra precautions. We have a dedicated department for authentication, so when you buy from us, you can be sure it’s the real deal. For valuable items, we even provide authentication certificates.

Aislyn: Trust is such a crucial element of your business. Do you think the Found Report revealed anything about the state of the world in 2023?

Bryan: Absolutely. That’s a great question. Unclaimed Baggage has always been like an ongoing archeological exploration. At any given time in our history, we can see the evolution of what people value. In the early days, there were no cell phones, then the Walkman era, followed by boom boxes. Now, we see an influx of electronics, especially e-readers like Kindles, headphones—especially high-end ones like Bose and Apple—and AirPods, which are small and easy to lose but highly valuable.

Aislyn: Yeah, they’re so easy to misplace, especially when you tuck them away and forget where you put them.

Bryan: Exactly. It’s fascinating to open these bags and see what people have packed away. When I walk through the store or check out what’s listed online, it’s like taking a snapshot of modern life, particularly in the Western world. It really tells you something about our habits and the way we live.

Aislyn: Definitely. And it's fascinating to think about how someone's suitcase can almost tell their personal story. I imagine you can get a pretty good sense of who they are just by what's packed inside.

Bryan: Exactly. I love that you used the word “picture.” We’ve often said, “If only these bags could talk, the stories they’d tell.” Over the years, we've imagined the personalities of the people based on their luggage. And we've come across some truly unusual items—things that aren’t just personal belongings from a suitcase.

When my wife and I bought the company from my parents and my brother back in 1995, we were going through the business and inventory. I’ll never forget being in one of our warehouses and coming across a massive shockproof shipping container. I wondered, “What could possibly be inside that?”

We opened it up and found that whatever was inside was suspended by rubber grommets, completely isolated to prevent any contact. As we unwrapped the packing, we saw a label that read: “Department of the U.S. Navy, handle with extreme caution, I’m worth my weight in gold.”

Aislyn: Wait, what? That sounds incredible!

Bryan: It was wild! It turned out that what we had was a guidance system for an F14 fighter jet, and it was also used in the V22 Osprey. If you look back a bit in history, you realize that the U.S. and Iran were once allies, back in the late '70s and early '80s, before the Shah fell. We had sold them a lot of military equipment, including F14 fighter planes. But once that relationship soured, Iran had these jets but no way to get replacement parts. One day, we got a visit from the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and they said, “We need that item back.”

So I called my lawyer right away. I said, “Robert, what should I do?” He just said, “Give it to them.”

Aislyn: “Don’t even think about trying to fight it.”

Bryan: Exactly! But as the story unfolded, we found out that the rumor in the military was that the Iranians had taken it because they needed the parts to keep their planes operational.

Aislyn: Wow, that's incredible. What a crazy turn of events!

Bryan: Actually, it was just sitting in a warehouse in Scottsboro, Alabama—

Aislyn: —probably about to be put up for sale.

Bryan: Yeah, exactly. It’s like, what are we supposed to do with this thing? It’s too large to be a paperweight.

Aislyn: That’s hilarious! They were probably thinking the worst, but in reality, it was just sitting there, harmless.

Bryan: Right. To give you another example—there was a Nikon camera that had actually been on the Space Shuttle. We managed to get that back to NASA.

Aislyn: Oh, that’s awesome.

Bryan: It happened a few years ago.

Aislyn: I was curious—do items ever find their way back to their owners because someone sees them and recognizes them? Maybe someone spots their lost tennis bracelet online or in the store and says, “That’s mine!”

Bryan: You’d think it would happen more often, but the one story that comes to mind is from our annual ski equipment sale, held every first Saturday in November. People even camp out in the parking lot the night before. It’s a real community event with bonfires, s’mores, pizza, and family-friendly movies.

Bryan: After one of those sales, we had a pair of women’s ski boots. A guy from Atlanta came into the store, wandered over to the sporting goods section, and when he saw those boots, he thought, “I’m going to grab these for my girlfriend.”

He bought the boots and took them back to her, and when she saw them, she looked at him in disbelief. Then, pulling back the tongue of the boot, she discovered her name written inside it.

Turns out, her boots had been lost during a flight, the airline reimbursed her, and somehow they ended up in Scottsboro, Alabama. Her boyfriend ended up buying them, and just like that, they were back with her.

Aislyn: That’s incredible! It’s like he had an instinct that those boots were meant for her.

Bryan: Exactly!

Aislyn: It’s funny how rarely something like that happens, though.

When you walk into our store, you’re greeted with a massive selection of items. Online, we release new products twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, with smaller updates in between. There’s just so much to go through, both in-store and online.

Aislyn: It sounds like finding something specific would be like searching for a needle in a haystack!

Bryan: Exactly!

Aislyn: Have you noticed any change in the number of lost items since the rise of technologies like AirTags or other tracking devices?

Bryan: Good question. The truth is, the volume of items we’re handling is about the same as ever. Thanks to the whole 'revenge travel' trend, people are still traveling in droves after the pandemic, so we’ve actually seen an increase in the number of items we’re receiving.

Aislyn: I’m curious, because your fan base is so dedicated and people seem absolutely captivated by your company—philosophically, what do you think draws us to this concept?

Bryan: I think it has a lot to do with the psychology behind it. We don’t really target a specific demographic of shoppers. It’s more about a mindset. For example, if you visit the store, you’ll notice a mix—beat-up pickup trucks parked alongside Teslas and Mercedes.

What they all share in common is the thrill of the chase, the excitement of digging through things and searching for hidden gems. What one person sees as a treasure might not be the same for someone else.

Aislyn: So it’s really about the pursuit, the quest, the journey itself?

Bryan: Exactly. Our research shows that people often come in looking for one specific item, but if they don’t find it, they inevitably discover something else that catches their interest. It’s rare that someone leaves empty-handed or dissatisfied.

Aislyn: Yeah, I believe it’s one of Alabama’s top tourist spots. Do people actually travel to Alabama just to visit the store?

Bryan: Absolutely. I spend a lot of time there myself— I really enjoy it. It's such a blessing for us to manage a business that serves people not only across the country, but globally. Just last week, I was in the parking lot and saw cars from Oregon, New York, and even Alaska. It’s amazing to witness the diverse people who make their way to this store.

Aislyn: What do you think you’ve learned about human nature over the years of running this business?

Bryan: Well, in today's world, we’re seeing a divide in the economy, and it’s something we need to address. But one thing I’ve noticed is that people are really looking for ways to get more value for their money. They want to buy high-quality items they can be proud of, but without paying full price.

And there’s this major shift happening, particularly with Gen-Z and millennials, who are really embracing the idea of buying secondhand. Re-commerce is booming, and we’ve been doing it since 1970.

Aislyn: Absolutely. When you consider the staggering number of items in the world and how much is produced, it’s clear that reducing our consumption of new goods is more important than ever. It’s great that you’ve been leading the charge on this long before it became a popular trend.

Bryan: Yeah, we’re all about giving these items a second life.

Aislyn: You mentioned earlier that this business opened your eyes to the world when you were a child. Do you feel like that perspective has continued to broaden as you've grown?

Bryan: It definitely has. Just walking through the store and meeting all kinds of people from different walks of life really expands my view. It’s fascinating to see how many have had this place on their bucket list. We actually got a big feature on Oprah back in 1995—she had a professional shopper do a live segment from here. Since then, people who saw that segment have been making the pilgrimage here for almost 30 years.

Aislyn: So now you’re a bit of a pilgrimage site.

Bryan: It’s pretty wild in Scottsboro, Alabama. It’s a small town with just 15,000 residents.

Aislyn: Wow, that’s incredible. Earlier, you mentioned Reclaimed for Good. Can you share how that initiative aligns with your mission to support those in need?

Bryan: Our mission is all about redeeming the lost, the unclaimed, and the rejected items. We give these goods a second chance by finding them new purposes. About one-third of the items we receive go to charity through established partnerships. For example, this week is National Foster Care and Adoption Week, and we have a program called Love Luggage. It’s an amazing initiative where we take hard-shell suitcases and bring them to places like universities, community centers, or high schools. Students and volunteers will hand-paint these suitcases, and we give them to foster children.

Foster kids often end up transporting their belongings in garbage bags, and we want to give them a little more dignity as they move from one place to another. We’ve done these events all across the country. During our 50th anniversary, we traveled to all 50 states, hosting Love Luggage events along the way.

Another example I’m passionate about involves eyeglasses and sunglasses. They’re easy to misplace, but once lost, they’re tough to track down again. If I were trying to describe my lost pair of glasses to you, it wouldn’t be an easy task.

Aislyn: There could easily be a million pairs of glasses out there.

Bryan: Absolutely. We receive millions of pairs each year. In fact, we've donated over a million pairs to Lions Club International through their Sight First program. This charity helps provide vision care in countries around the world, mostly outside the U.S., with a team of optometrists and opticians delivering care directly to those in need.

We also receive a significant number of sunglasses, which we send to the Lions Club for distribution in equatorial regions. Agricultural workers there often can't afford sunglasses, and prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to cataracts, even at a young age. So, through the Lions Club, we provide these workers with the protection they need for their eyes.

Another interesting example is the number of wheelchairs we come across. While the airlines don’t exactly lose them, they often get damaged in transit. It’s not unusual for wheelchairs to be mishandled, as they don’t pack as neatly as standard luggage. Their bulky shapes make them more prone to damage during the shipping process.

If you’re a person with a disability, handing your wheelchair over to an airline can be a risk, since these items aren’t designed to be handled like regular bags. They don't stack well and are more likely to get damaged just due to their size and shape, which can be a real problem for the passenger who needs them.

We receive a significant number of wheelchairs, which we donate to an organization called Wheels for the World. These wheelchairs are sent to a couple of prisons, where inmates take them to workshops, restore them, and make them look as good as new. Once reconditioned, these wheelchairs are distributed through Wheels for the World to disabled children and adults worldwide.

Aislyn: That’s truly incredible. What do you envision for the future of your business?

Bryan: I’m part of the fifth generation in my family to be involved in entrepreneurship, and we’ve got three sons currently working within the company, with even younger members of the fourth generation showing interest. My long-term vision for the company is a century-long one. We’ve been entrusted with a truly fascinating business, and as long as we have the strength and resources, our goal is to continue growing the company. It’s an opportunity to do a lot of good.

People come to our store for all kinds of reasons, and for some, it’s almost therapeutic. We pride ourselves on Southern hospitality, so when people step through the door, they’re welcomed with warmth. It’s a place filled with joy, fun, and a happy atmosphere that people love to visit.

In our local community, we’re proud to be one of the largest employers in the area, providing meaningful work to many. Plus, the impact of our giving initiatives through Reclaimed for Good means that we’re contributing to something greater than just profit. While we need to stay profitable to remain in business, it’s about so much more than just the bottom line.

Aislyn: To wrap things up, do you have any advice for travelers to help prevent their luggage from ending up at Unclaimed Baggage?

Bryan: My wife always laughs when I do this, but before we go on a trip—especially an anniversary trip—I make sure to snap photos of everything I pack as I put it in my suitcase. That way, if my bag is ever misplaced or mishandled, I’ve got proof of what was inside.

I also strongly suggest you place clear identification both inside and outside of your bag. If possible, include a copy of your travel itinerary inside. For international travel, I’ll sometimes even tuck a copy of my passport in there. A lot of people forget to update their contact information, especially when they move. So, ensure your current address is visible on your bag, and make sure it’s not outdated from a previous residence.

Aislyn: Thank you! This conversation has been incredibly insightful, and I can’t wait for my first trip to Unclaimed Baggage.

Bryan: We’d be thrilled to have you visit. By the way, are you based on the West Coast?

Aislyn: Yes, I’m based in California, so I’m actually in your target market.

Bryan: That’s awesome! It’s been a pleasure talking with you. Hope the rest of your week goes well.

Aislyn: Thank you, and you too.

And that was Bryan Owens, the mastermind behind Unclaimed Baggage. A huge thank you to him. I’m really looking forward to visiting the store one day. You can learn more about Unclaimed Baggage at unclaimedbaggage.com, and follow them on social media—we’ll include links to all that, as well as their 2023 Found Report, in our show notes. Have you been to the store? We’d love to hear what treasure you found! Catch us next week.

Want more to unpack? Head over to Dinogo.com, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter—you’ll find us @Dinogomedia. If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to subscribe for more amazing stories. You can listen to Unpacked on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you liked the show, leave us a rating and review—it helps others discover us. We want to hear from you too: Got a travel dilemma, trend, or topic you’d love us to dive into? Reach out at Dinogo.com/feedback or shoot us an email at unpacked@Dinogo.com.

You’ve been listening to Unpacked, brought to you by Dinogo Media. This episode was produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with music composed by Chris Colin.

And don’t forget: The world is full of complexities, but we’re here to help you make sense of it all.