The Hook Shop

About Us

The Hook Shop

The Hook Shop began in 2002, founded by myself, Rick Penrod, and my wife, Susan. The idea came about when I couldn’t find the hooks I needed for my own walk-in cooler. Frustrated by the lack of availability, we decided to make our own hooks and gambrels.

It didn’t take long for others to notice the quality of our products, and soon we were being asked to make hooks and gambrels for others in the area. As demand grew, we launched a website to reach a wider audience. Over time, we started shipping our products nationwide, always maintaining our focus on providing the best quality hooks and gambrels for both professional and home butchers.

Our business grew as word spread about the reliability of our products. In the early days, Susan turned all the hook points on a manual lathe herself. About four years ago, we transitioned to a CNC turning center, which allowed us to enhance precision and efficiency.

Innovation and Growth

At The Hook Shop, we don’t just create products—we innovate. We design our products, build most of our own tooling, and even manufacture some of the machines needed to produce our goods.

In 2013, we expanded into making rail systems, and today, we’re proud to be one of the few companies in the U.S. that manufactures our own rail switches. These switches are designed and built entirely in our shop. Recently, we introduced a custom shuttle system for smaller coolers, offering tighter rail spacing than traditional switches allow—an excellent solution for processors with limited space.

Custom Meat Hooks

Products and Services

We offer a wide range of gambrels and hooks, suitable for processing everything from squirrels to the largest beef and bison. We also provide custom orders based on customer designs and prints, ensuring our products meet the unique needs of each client.

In addition to hooks, gambrels, and rail systems, we’ve recently added custom plasma cutting services to our offerings, allowing us to serve even more specialized requests.

The Team

Our shop is run by just myself and Carlie, with additional support from my partner, Paul, who manufactures some of the rail components and machines required for special operations in his own shop. Together, we ensure that every product that leaves The Hook Shop meets the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.

We’re proud to have grown from a small operation making hooks for personal use to a business shipping products nationwide, helping butchers, processors, and hunters achieve their goals with reliable, American-made tools.