New Jersey High Schooler Earns $135,000 Flipping Abandoned Storage Lockers
Michael Haskell, an 18-year-old from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, earned approximately $220,000 between January 2025 and July 2026 by flipping abandoned storage units. Starting with a small investment of $10 for his first unit, he now sources lockers through auction sites, resells their contents on eBay, and uses tools like Google Lens and AI to identify valuable items. Haskell's business model relies heavily on research and pattern recognition rather than luck. A key turning point came when he purchased a storage unit linked to former art dealer Andrew Crispo, finding high-value items that sold for $36,000. His venture reflects the growing trend of Gen Z entrepreneurship, with young founders increasingly starting businesses due in part to labor market challenges. Despite his success, Haskell spends 20–25 hours a week on the business and sometimes hires help. The venture has also helped him stand out academically; he wrote about it for college essays and believes it contributed to his acceptance at Emory University.
Tickers: $EBAY
Topics: entrepreneurship storage unit flipping young business owner