The New Jersey Guy Who Owned The Airport Duty Free Shops Gave Away His Fortune
You don’t know who Chuck Feeney was, but if you were in an airport you saw what he did for a living. Chuck made billions as the co-founder of the company that started the duty free shops at the airport. Well, Mr. Feeney passed away the other day at the age of 92. As it turns out, he was quite the philanthropist. Chuck Feeney gave away all his money.
That’s right, the guy who started the duty free shop gave away his fortune. Mr. Sweeney grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
We’re talking Eight BILLION dollars, given away to charities, foundations, museums, and other charitable organizations. Mr. Feeney was very rich and successful but he lived the last 30 years of his life on a strict budget after he gave away nearly his entire fortune.
He was a big fan of “giving while living,” and launched a charity in 1982 called Atlantic Philanthropies. They finally shut down three years ago after announcing they’d successfully donated it all. That’s why he needed to be on a strict budget.
Many of the donations were done anonymously. Wow, what a well lived life. You become a billionaire and you’re the guy who gave away all his money.
What Is Duty Free?
The whole idea of duty free shopping is based on the idea that when you enter the international area of an airport, you’re in a odd, uncontrolled space when it comes to whose tax laws govern the area. Is it the country in which your airport is? OR the country to which you are flying? Charles and his partner apparently recognized this as an opportunity and the famous “Duty Free” shops began popping up in the international sections of just about every international airport. (It also launched a fun Seinfeld bit.)
“Duty” refers to tax. Specifically, the word refers to the tax you would pay on an item when you bring it across international borders. That means that, “duty free” means you’re not paying tax on the purchase. However, you still may have to pay tax on the item when you get it back to the United States. Typically, the best deals for duty free purchases are on booze and tobacco products because the taxes on those items tend to be the highest.
If you do it right, you can make a pretty good score at the Duty Free shop and maybe you can turn into the guy who gave away all his money when you turn it into a small fortune.
8 Seemingly Unreal Places to Add to Your Travel Bucket List
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
This Arizona canyon was naturally carved by rainwater streams within the sandstone. The Navajo Nation gave it the name ‘The place where water runs through rocks.’ Visit Arizona explains that the Upper Antelope Canyon tour is more frequented due to increased sunlight and towering walls reaching 120 feet. Alternatively, the Lower Antelope Canyon tour is equally remarkable, providing visitors with an immersive encounter among the swirling sandstone walls.
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Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming
Among the world’s largest springs, the Grand Prismatic measures an expansive 370 feet in diameter, exceeding the size of a football field. Its vibrant appearance stems from bands of orange, yellow, and green that encircle the deep blue waters. These diverse colors originate from different strains of thermophile bacteria, thriving in the progressively cooler waters around the spring, as explained by Yellowstone National Park. For a bird’s-eye-like view of the Grand Prismatic, they suggest visitors follow the half-mile Fairy Falls trail to a lookout.
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The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
Located in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, the Door to Hell is a large fiery crater. It emerged when a natural gas field accidentally caught fire in 1971 and has been burning continuously since then, according to National Geographic. A well-visited tourist spot, the Door to Hell permits visitors to hike down into the crater for a close view of the flames and an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of the site. The Door to Hell, also referred to as the Darvaza Gas Crater, is located in a rural part of the country.
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Diamond Beach, Iceland
Found along Iceland’s South Coast, the Diamond Beach is a volcanic black sand shoreline adjacent to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Ice blocks from the glacier lagoon wash ashore after breaking into smaller pieces at sea, as mentioned in the Diamond Beach Travel Guide. The beach is also a natural habitat for seals.
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Mendenhall Glacier Caves, Alaska
According to the Tongass National Forest, the Mendenhall Glacier is among the numerous expansive glaciers originating from the Juneau Icefield, an area spanning 1500 square miles of rock, snow, and ice. The glacier gradually advances under the influence of gravity, descending down the slope. Over time, it carves the bedrock and erodes during its 13-mile path until it reaches Mendenhall Lake.
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Thor’s Well, Oregon
Located on the Oregon coast near Cape Perpetua, there’s a large sinkhole that appears to swallow seawater continuously, resembling a bottomless pit. According to Yachats Oregon, it’s often called the “drainpipe of the Pacific.” They explain that the well is actually a hole in the rock that gives the impression of draining ocean water. Some researchers believe this well might have started as a sea cave shaped by waves. Over time, its roof likely collapsed, creating openings at the top and bottom, which spray ocean water.
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Crooked Forest, Poland
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Found close to the town of Gryfino in West Pomerania, Poland, the Crooked Forest consists of 400 peculiarly contorted pine trees. As revealed by Discovery, these pine trees were planted approximately in 1930, back when the area was part of the German province of Pomerania. Starting from the ground, the pine trees exhibit a distinctive feature: they grow with a sharp 90-degree bend towards the north, before gracefully straightening up towards the sky.
Pink Beach, Padar Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
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The beach is named for its pink sand, which comes from tiny organisms in the coral reefs nearby. Visitors can swim, snorkel, and see marine life like sea turtles and manta rays in the clear water. The beach also has great views of hills and turquoise waters.
