Sky Hooks started as a simple idea: create a hands-on toy that surprises people and makes them smile. What looks impossible—a wooden hook and belt balancing out into mid air—is actually clever physics at work, and people can't walk past it without stopping to try it themselves.
We're a small business based in Bloomington, Indiana, and we produce every Sky Hook with care. Whether you discover us at a local craft fair or order online, our goal is to bring a little bit of wonder into your day with something you actually want to pick up, play with, and show your friends.
Where Sky Hooks Began
The Sky Hooks story goes back to 1969. When my dad returned from serving during the Korean War, he eventually brought home a wooden "sky hook" balancing toy. When I was in 5th grade, he gave it to me. I was hooked.
I traced that first Sky Hook, cut about 50 of them out by hand in our family's barn, and sold them at school for $1.00 each. Watching classmates light up when the hook "should have" fallen — but didn't — stuck with me. Ever since then, I've wanted to bring Sky Hooks to more people in a real, commercial way.
From Farm Kid to Entrepreneur
I grew up on a farm, where you fix things yourself, learn by doing, and figure out how to make ideas work in the real world. That mindset led me into entrepreneurship and, eventually, into building and running a global technology management best practice organization.
Sky Hooks is a return to something simpler: real wood, real people, and a little bit of everyday magic you can hold in your hand. This isn't a private label gadget pulled from a catalog — it's a product I've cared about since I was ten years old, now produced at scale so we can share it with a lot more people.
Where We Are Today
Today, we're focused on two things:
- Making high quality Sky Hooks that feel good in your hands and look great on a shelf or desk.
- Showing them off in person at craft fairs, markets, and community events so you can see (and try) the "how is that even possible?" moment for yourself.
If you see us at an event, please stop by, say hello, and take a Sky Hook for a spin.
Meet the Team
Sky Hooks is led by founder Tim Lybrook, who first started selling Sky Hooks as a 10-year-old in 1969 and has been thinking about them ever since.
As Sky Hooks grows, we're building a team of Event Leaders — independent regional partners who run Sky Hooks tables at fairs and festivals across Indiana and beyond. You'll see their faces at events, hear their stories, and experience Sky Hooks through their hands-on demos.
Over time, we'll introduce more of our team here so you can put faces to the people bringing Sky Hooks to your local events.
Connect with Us
Want to stay up to date on where Sky Hooks will be next? Follow Sky Hooks on Facebook to see which events we'll be attending and get a peek at life behind the booth.
Prefer a more business-focused view? You're welcome to connect with Tim on LinkedIn to learn more about his professional background and journey as an entrepreneur.
You can also use our Contact Us page to reach out, and we'll get back to you to talk details.
Sky Hooks is owned and operated by TCL Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Sky Hooks