Alabama Retailer Operates Unique Ministry Through Unclaimed Luggage

Unclaimed Baggage, a large retail facility in Scottsboro, Alabama, has gained national attention for its unique business model of processing and selling lost items from airlines, trains, and other transit providers. Founded in 1978 by Doyle and Sue Owens, the company now processes thousands of items daily, ranging from everyday clothing to rare artifacts like the animatronic puppet Hoggle from the film Labyrinth.

Owners Bryan and Sharon Owens, who took over the business in 1995, describe their work as a biblical mission to redeem lost and rejected items for the glory of God. While modern airline tracking systems successfully return the vast majority of misplaced luggage to passengers, the high volume of daily air travel ensures a steady supply of abandoned goods. The facility has expanded over the decades to include an online store and a museum dedicated to the unusual items discovered within the unclaimed shipments.