Airlines typically spent three to four months trying to reunite lost suitcases with their owners. If they can’t, they sell the bags to Unclaimed Baggage, which separates items into batches to be sold, thrown away or donated to charity, said Bryan Owens, the store’s owner. Bargain hunters then scoop up the store’s merchandise at discount prices.
In the 54 years since it started, Unclaimed Baggage has gone international, with online purchases that ship to customers overseas. It’s become one of the area’s main tourist attractions and attracts more than 1 million visitors annually, Owens said.
The vast majority of the store’s inventory is from luggage lost during air travel, although the store receives some unclaimed bags from trains and buses. Unclaimed Baggage also sells items left in seat pockets, overhead bins and in hand luggage.