Where Lost Luggage Goes to Die
You know those suitcases that just never show up at baggage claim? Chances are the airline “mishandled” them. It happens to about seven bags per 1,000. Most are reunited with their owners within 24 hours. But if the airline can’t find the owner after 90 days (if, for example, it doesn’t have an identification tag), the suitcase may end up at Scottsboro, Alabama’s Unclaimed Baggage Center.
This business buys luggage in bulk from the airlines, and then sells the contents at bargain basement prices. About 60 percent of it is clothing, including designer labels. The rest is mostly jewelry, sporting goods, and electronics, though unusual items like suits of armor, antiques, and Egyptian artifacts have been found as well. And, yes, they also sell the luggage.
More than a million tourists visit the 40,000-square-foot facility every year, making it one of the most popular attractions in the state.
(Source: Entrepreneur.com)
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