Michael Haskell, 17, of New Jersey, transforms abandoned storage unit scavenging into a $7,000 monthly income venture, purchasing units at auctions for as little as $90. His latest find? A Brooklyn locker linked to 1980s art dealer Andrew Crispo, yielding a $50,000 haul including a Man Ray painting. Using AI tools like Google Lens, he identifies valuable items amid discarded goods, while his Bergen County home doubles as a prepackaged inventory warehouse.

Beyond profit, Michael uncovers poignant personal histories: a Upper East Side unit revealed artifacts of George Carroll, Richmond's first Black mayor, while another held belongings of rapper Bobby Shmurda. "These lockers tell stories of lives in disarray," he reflects, balancing senior year academics with his enterprise. His mother, an investor, notes his instinct mirrors "distressed asset investing."

Operating from his family garage—lined with Qing dynasty vases and WWII memorabilia—Michael files taxes as a business owner. His AI-assisted targeting now focuses on units connected to public figures, like a Piscataway politician's abandoned locker. The teen's eBay store, "Mike's Unique Treasures", ships treasures nationwide, turning derelict spaces into curated collections.

Success hinges on patience, Michael insists. Between school and shipping orders, he studies market trends, recognizing that each unit represents "a snapshot of someone's life—sometimes tragic, sometimes inspiring." With college applications pending, he weighs entrepreneurship against traditional paths, already viewing lockers through an investor's lens.