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Unclaimed Baggage marks its 50th anniversary with a 50-state road tour--and a truckload of prizes and memoriesSCOTTSBORO, Ala., Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Launched in 1970 with little more than a borrowed pick-up truck and a $300 loan, Unclaimed Baggage, the nation's only retailer of lost luggage items, will hit the road for its 50th Anniversary. Unclaimed Baggage will bring games and prizes along on a nationwide 50 Years 50 States Road Tour celebrating what has grown to become one of Alabama's top tourist attractions. It will also mark another big milestone in 2020 with the debut of a new e-commerce platform along with a new website, which goes live in March. The year-long celebration kicks off March 20 with a party at Unclaimed Baggage—a 50,000-square-foot store that stretches more than a city block—where Unclaimed Baggage will unveil its road-tour vehicle: a restored 1965 Chevrolet pickup truck, complete with a mobile museum showcasing some of the fascinating finds of this one-of-a-kind retailer. The truck has been modeled after Doyle Owens' original, which he borrowed to drive to Washington, D.C. and purchase his first load of Unclaimed Baggage from Trailways bus lines. Within a month, Owens knew he had a winning idea, spurring him to quit his job in insurance sales and become the "bag man." Over the next few years, Owens, his wife, Sue, and their two boys, Bryan and Mark, expanded their business with airline merchandise. Bryan Owens purchased Unclaimed Baggage in 1995, extended its product sources, and remodeled and enlarged the retail store. "It's amazing to see how even here—in Scottsboro, Alabama—Unclaimed Baggage could grow into an international destination that has drawn national media attention," said Unclaimed Baggage CEO Bryan Owens. "Any day you visit our store, you're likely to see license plates from more than a dozen states. Those shoppers tell us they love driving to Unclaimed Baggage—even if it's several hours each way—because they never know what they'll find." Today, Unclaimed Baggage attracts one million shoppers annually from all 50 states and 40+ countries who browse through a treasure trove of goods that airlines have been unable to reunite with their former owners. If a suitcase gets lost in transit and can't be returned to its owner—often because of a missing identification tag, the airline compensates the traveler. Airlines conduct a comprehensive 90-day baggage tracing process, after which only 0.0003% of the billion or so passenger bags checked every year are deemed truly lost. Unclaimed Baggage buys the unclaimed luggage and gives them a second life. 50 years, 50 states Charitable events Diehard Unclaimed Baggage shopper tells tale, wins spree Jackson says when an Unclaimed Baggage team member learned they had traveled from South Carolina for two days of shopping, the staffer made them feel like celebrities, buying them coffees at the café and giving them gift bags with coupons and T-shirts. "My gal-pal and I LOVE coming to Unclaimed Baggage because of the fabulous hunt, the amazing finds and the excellent customer service," Jackson said. "We start planning and anticipating our next annual shopping trip the minute we drive away and head for home." Unclaimed Baggage will continue the contest with customers, team members and fans throughout 2020. About Unclaimed Baggage View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unclaimed-baggage-marks-its-50th-anniversary-with-a-50-state-road-tour--and-a-truckload-of-prizes-and-memories-300983764.html SOURCE Unclaimed Baggage |