A few weeks ago, as Justin and I were deciding what to do with our day… (We had free time! Shock AND surprise!) Justin read an article about unclaimed luggage and a store that sells it in Alabama. Feeling risky, I asked Justin exactly where in Alabama this store was located – Could we make it there and back within a day? With a quick tap on his cell phone, we realized that this store/tourist attraction was only 3 hours (and one time zone) away. If we left even as late as 10AM, we could totally spend a full day getting to northern Alabama before the store closing time of 7PM CST! So we hopped in the car and were on our way…
The trip to Alabama from Atlanta was beautiful and fantastic. I discovered so many places I never knew about and wanted to explore. Perhaps in the future we could turn this drive into a mini-vacation and explore? Not only did we pass the Tellus Science Museum, but we also passed Barnsley Gardens and got awfully close to the Huntsville Space Center in Alabama. The view as we drove north became more mountainous and back-woods leaving us breathless and wishing I had taken my (real) camera.
When we finally arrived, we were sore from the long drive and ready to get out of the vehicle. The large shopping center provided plenty of space to walk around, but not so much space for large vehicles like an extended bed F-150. Nevertheless, Justin managed to finally park the overly large vehicle and we were able to emerge relatively unscathed.
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| Is that a wedding dress?! |
My first thought as I entered the building was how thriftstore-like it was.
"What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?I'm digging, I'm digging, I'm searching right through that luggage…"
Macklemore – "Thriftshop"
I suppose I knew it was a thriftstore, but orange? Everywhere? It was enough to make me sick … and not willing to buy the cheap products for the high prices using the aggressive tactics. Of course, I eventually got over my "orange-ya-gonna-buy-that" aggravation when Justin offered to get me an Apple iPad Mini 2. Early birthday present? So glad you are my wife gift? Whatever. I'll take it. Even if it is only 16gb. Even the price point of 2/3 it's original price for what looked like a pristine product was enough to drag me over the edge…
Justin must certainly have been in a shopping mood, because that wasn't the only thing we bought nor was it one of the best deals we found. Further shopping revealed a $5 Logitech keyboard to go with the iPad mini still in original packaging (originally $80), a $5 exercise ball (originally $30), an iPad cover in original packaging for $9 (originally $30), and a Brooks Brothers suit for $100 (usually in the $1000 range). Even though we were over budget for the month, we felt that we came away with some pretty good deals for some great products!
About halfway through our day of shopping the 40,000 square foot mini-mall, we got hungry. Luckily for us, the kind sales associates directed us to an adorable little Mexican restaurant a few miles away known as Buenavista. For a picky Mexican eater that doesn't like spice, I thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant and would happily return more often if it was, say, 3 hours closer…
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| Cute little Mexican restaurant nearby! |
After the quick linner (dunch?) break, we returned to the world of thrifting that is Scottsboro, AL. We were done with the BIG store, but now it was time to scour the area and discover what else could be found in surrounding thrift shops.
First stop: Goodwill. Let me just say: Goodwill was unsurprising and slightly boring. If Unclaimed Baggage is a thrift store featuring items people didn't intend to lose, the Scottsboro Goodwill is a thriftstore featuring the things people did intend to lose.
Moving on, we went to the store directly across from Unclaimed Baggage of whose name I can't remember. The store itself wasn't too impressive aside from the gorgeous, vintage luggage I stumbled upon and simply begged Justin to buy! Of course when we got to the register, the older guy attempted to swipe not one but two of Justin's credit cards and couldn't get the reader to work. So Justin did the age old trick of "I only have $15 and the price is $20. Want to make a deal?" I'm sure you are well aware of how money-hungry old people get. Fifteen dollars later, I had a new-to-me set of vintage, lost luggage with NYC tags draping classily from their handles. (The question of whether or not I will ever use them still hangs in the air.)
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| Classy NYC tags! |
I'd like to say, from this point forward, that we simply went home – back to our quiet lives of nothingness. But no, that is just not the case. No road trip to Scottsboro is complete unless you stop by Chattanooga, TN on your way home to get ice cream from The Ice Cream Show and glimpse The Relay For Life event that was going on… Furthermore, once we returned home, it was time to make some money! We took to intense spring cleaning in which we moved furniture around, got rid of at least 3 trash bags worth of stuff, and are in the process of photographing and placing sell-worthy items on eBay. If that doesn't make a trip to Scottsboro, Alabama's Unclaimed Luggage Store worthwhile, I don't know what does… :)
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| Cleaned up office space with new seating included! |
Other things we found while shopping:
• fitbits
• laptops
• cameras (SOOO many!)
• golf clubs and other sports equipment
• a wedding dress?!
• bridesmaid and prom dresses (read: how to dress your wedding party for less)
• fancy jewelry including diamonds and sapphires
• cool, random extras not for sale including an old McDonalds sign
• luggage (SOOO much luggage!)
To find out more, check out this article by The Huffington Post or the Unclaimed Baggage website.
Have you ever lost luggage and wondered where it may have ended up? Would you consider making a trip to the Unclaimed Baggage store to find great deals and thrift shop?
