Doyle Owens was struck with an idea in 1970, so he borrowed a 1965 pickup truck and a $300, and headed up to Washington D.C. and bought his first load of unclaimed baggage from Trailways Bus Line. He then sold the contents on card tables in an old rented house - the venture was an instant success! With his family’s blessing, he left his full-time insurance job, and Unclaimed Baggage Center was born.
Initially the business opened on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and Doyle, his wife Sue, and their two sons worked tirelessly to prepare the luggage contents for sale. Doyle’s entrepreneurial spirit took flight as he landed his first airline contract with Eastern Airlines. As larger volumes and more unusual items started flowing in, the business expanded its hours of operation to six days a week. Gradually, Unclaimed Baggage formed relationships with all other domestic airlines, solidifying its position as the country’s only lost luggage store.
Doyle's son Bryan and his wife Sharon purchased the business and began a remodel project that expanded Unclaimed Baggage to cover more than a city block. The business added a cafe and a Museum of Found Treasures, making it a true shopping and tourist destination.
Then, in 1995, Oprah featured Unclaimed Baggage Center as one of America's “best-kept shopping secrets.” More media and curious visitors quickly followed from every corner of the globe to see the one-of-a-kind-store. The store has been featured in publications ranging from Vogue to HuffPost, Buzzfeed, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times and showcased on TODAY, the Travel Channel and many more.
After the pandemic forced the shop to head online — and delay its anniversary festivities — Unclaimed Baggage has embarked on a cross-country tour to “connect with our amazing customers from all over the country.”
the 1965 Chevrolet truck named after Unclaimed Baggage's founder, Hugo, went on the summer tour commencing in May 2022 and brought one-of-a-kind experiences to fans across all 50 states, in 9,000 miles, in all 48 contiguous states and met fans in 52 cities.
"From our store in Scottsboro, Alabama to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, from the St. Louis Arch to Boston's Fenway Park, Unclaimed Baggage literally put itself on the map this summer," said Bryan Owens, owner of Unclaimed Baggage and son of the organization's founder, Hugo Doyle Owens. "The '50 Years, 50 States' road tour was an expression of gratitude for the fans, team members and community who have supported this family-run business over the course of its 52-year history, and it was a remarkable experience."
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