What Happened to Two Guys Bow Ties? Status & Shark Tank Update

Two Guys Bow Ties emerged during a unique moment in men’s fashion. In the early 2010s, men were looking for fresh ways to express their personal style.

Standard silk ties felt too formal, and standard bow ties felt too old-fashioned. A new wave of “maker culture” was taking over, valuing handmade, artisanal goods over mass-produced items.

This cultural shift created the perfect opening for two friends with a talent for woodworking. Adam Teague and Tim Paslay launched Two Guys Bow Ties in 2012. They wanted to combine old-school woodworking skills with modern fashion. 

What started as a fun project in a garage soon turned into a viral fashion brand that caught the attention of celebrities, major magazines, and eventually, the investors on national television.

However, running a novelty fashion business is rarely simple. Trends change, customer needs shift, and businesses must adapt to survive. 

The story of Two Guys Bow Ties is not just about a wooden fashion accessory. It is a powerful lesson in business strategy, knowing your market, and making the right pivot at the right time.

The Craftsmanship Behind the Two Guys Bow Ties

The core idea behind Two Guys Bow Ties was simple but very striking. Instead of using typical fabrics like silk or cotton, the founders used high-quality, exotic hardwoods. 

The two men, who originally met at their local church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, began experimenting with scrap wood to see if they could craft a wearable accessory.

They sourced beautiful woods from all over the world. These materials included African Zebrawood, Peruvian Walnut, South American Bocote, and Canary wood. The natural grain of each piece of wood meant that no two bow ties were ever exactly alike.

To make the ties truly special, they used lasers to etch complex patterns directly into the wood. Customers could choose from classic patterns like argyle, plaid, and polka dots.

After the wood was shaped, sanded, and etched, they attached a small piece of high-quality fabric to the center. 

This made it look like a perfectly tied knot. Finally, an adjustable elastic band with simple clasps was added to the back, making the tie easy for anyone to put on and wear comfortably.

The unique look of these ties quickly found an audience. Before they even thought about appearing on television, the founders set up an online shop on Etsy. 

They managed to sell over 900 ties very quickly. This early success caught the eye of the fashion world. Major publications like Esquire Magazine, GQ, and the Huffington Post wrote glowing reviews of their products.

Soon, the brand started to attract famous athletes and musicians. NBA superstars like Shaquille O’Neal and Mike Conley were seen wearing the wooden ties.

Country music singer Tom Gossin of the band Gloriana famously wore a custom Two Guys Bow Tie during his wedding. 

The brand was gaining serious momentum, and the founders knew they needed capital to take it to the next level.

Two Guys Bow Ties Into the Shark Tank

By 2015, Adam Teague and Tim Paslay were ready to scale their business. They wanted to increase their production output, expand their marketing reach, and open a physical retail store in their hometown of Tulsa.

To get the money and mentorship they needed, they applied for the hit business reality show Shark Tank.

The duo appeared on Season 7, Episode 3, which aired on October 9, 2015. They walked into the tank and confidently pitched their business to the panel of wealthy investors.

The numbers they presented were highly attractive. The cost to make a single wooden bow tie was incredibly low, but the retail price was high. This meant the business had excellent profit margins.

Business Metric	Details Presented in Pitch
Entrepreneurs	Adam Teague and Tim Paslay
Investment Ask	$150,000 for a 10% equity stake
Implied Valuation	$1.5 Million
Production Cost	$7.50 per bow tie
Retail Price	$45.00 to $100.00 per bow tie
Previous Year Sales	$407,000
Lifetime Sales	Nearly $1,000,000
Production Capacity	Up to 1,000 ties per month

To win over the investors, the founders handed out custom samples. They gave Lori Greiner a beautiful bow tie featuring a custom engraving of the Chicago skyline, which she absolutely loved. 

They also showed off their newer products, including wooden lapel pins and wooden-brimmed fedoras. 

Daymond John, the founder of the massive clothing brand FUBU, immediately liked the wooden-brimmed hats.

The Bidding War and the Final Deal

Because the business had such high profit margins and strong sales history, the investors were very interested. However, the fashion industry is notoriously difficult, which made some investors nervous.

Guest investor Troy Carter liked the product but quickly dropped out. He stated that the fashion and apparel industry was simply outside of his area of expertise. 

Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner also decided not to make an offer, leaving the founders with two potential partners: Kevin O’Leary and Daymond John.

Kevin O’Leary saw a specific path for the product. He owned a suite of wedding-related businesses and believed the wooden bow ties would be perfect for grooms and groomsmen. He offered the founders $150,000 in exchange for a 15% stake in the company.

Daymond John saw a broader vision. With his deep background in fashion branding, he believed he could help the company grow into a major lifestyle brand. He offered $150,000 for a 20% equity stake.

The founders tried to be clever. They asked if Daymond John and Troy Carter would team up on a joint deal. The two investors agreed, but they demanded 30% of the company combined. 

Teague and Paslay hesitated. Giving away nearly a third of their business felt like too much.

Seeing an opening, Kevin O’Leary changed his offer. He proposed $150,000 for 10% equity, but added a 7% royalty deal. Daymond John stayed firm on his desire for 20% equity but eventually changed his terms to compete.

In the end, the founders knew Daymond’s fashion connections were too valuable to pass up. They agreed to a final deal with Daymond John: $150,000 for a 17.5% equity stake, plus a 10% royalty on sales until the initial $150,000 investment was paid back.

Investor	Initial Offer	Final Offer / Outcome
Troy Carter	Dropped out	Dropped out
Mark Cuban	Dropped out	Dropped out
Lori Greiner	Dropped out	Dropped out
Kevin O’Leary	$150k for 15% equity	$150k for 10% equity + 7% royalty
Daymond John	$150k for 20% equity	Won Deal: $150k for 17.5% equity + 10% royalty

The “Shark Tank Effect” and Mentorship

Appearing on national television usually causes a massive spike in website traffic and sales. This is commonly known as the “Shark Tank Effect.”

Two Guys Bow Ties experienced this surge immediately. With the new investment money and Daymond John’s guidance, the company went to work.

They expanded their product lines heavily. While the wooden bow ties remained their core focus, they started selling wooden lapel flowers, custom pocket squares, beard care grooming products, and wooden-brimmed hats. 

They also launched a highly popular feature on their website that allowed customers to “build your own” bow tie. Shoppers could select their preferred type of wood, choose a specific engraved pattern, and pick a custom fabric for the center knot.

The brand also focused on international distribution. They successfully set up a distributor in France and built a strong customer base in Seoul, South Korea. For a few years, Two Guys Bow Ties seemed unstoppable.

The Underlying Problem with Novelty Products

Despite the excellent sales and television fame, the founders slowly realized they were facing a structural problem with their business model. A wooden bow tie is a novelty item. It is extremely durable and almost never breaks. 

Unlike a traditional silk tie that might stain, fray, or go out of style, a wooden tie lasts practically forever.

While this is wonderful for the customer, it is very difficult for a business. The company struggled to get repeat buyers. A customer might purchase one or two wooden ties for a wedding or a special event, but they rarely came back to buy a third or fourth. 

Because customers only bought once, the company constantly had to spend marketing money to find brand new customers. This is an exhausting and expensive way to run a business.

The founders were smart enough to recognize this problem. They looked at their skills and realized their true talent was not in fashion. Their true talent was sourcing beautiful wood, crafting it into appealing products, and selling those products online.

The Brilliant Pivot: Launching Plank and Mill

In 2016, just a year after their television appearance, Adam Teague and Tim Paslay launched a brand new company called Plank and Mill.

Instead of making tiny pieces of wood for men’s necks, Plank and Mill made large pieces of wood for people’s homes. The new company manufactured peel-and-stick wood panels made from reclaimed wood. 

These panels allowed normal homeowners to easily create beautiful, rustic accent walls in their living rooms and bedrooms without needing heavy tools.

This pivot was brilliant. The home renovation market is massive. Instead of selling a $50 bow tie to a single customer, Plank and Mill could sell hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of wood paneling to a homeowner for a single project. 

The founders used the exact same skills they learned with the bow tie company working with reclaimed wood and running digital marketing campaigns and applied them to a much more profitable industry.

The new business exploded in popularity. Plank and Mill grew to employ around 50 people and eventually reached estimated annual revenues of around $3.5 million.

By recognizing the limits of their original product and shifting their focus, the founders secured their financial future.

Is Two Guys Bow Ties Still in Business in 2026?

Because Plank and Mill became so successful, the founders naturally started spending less time on the bow tie business. Over the years, the operations for Two Guys Bow Ties slowly scaled down.

As of 2026, the main corporate entity for Two Guys Bow Ties is officially closed. Financial and corporate databases show that the company registered an “Out of Business” status on January 7, 2023. The company’s primary website, woodenbowties.com, was taken offline shortly after this date.

However, the brand has not completely disappeared from the internet. While the main factory is no longer pumping out thousands of ties a month, remnant inventory and small-batch artisan products are still available.

The company’s original Etsy storefront, “TwoGuysBowties,” remains active. The shop still boasts excellent feedback, with buyers leaving 5-star reviews in late 2025 for items like artisan feather bow ties and classic wood designs. 

Furthermore, boutique online gift shops like the Plumfield Shop continue to carry limited quantities of the brand’s classic models. 

Customers can still buy the “Earl” and “Floyd” wooden bow ties for around $45.00, or purchase wooden lapel flowers for $35.00.

The Evolution of Men’s Fashion: 2015 vs. 2026

The quiet closure of the main Two Guys Bow Ties operation makes perfect sense when looking at how men’s fashion has evolved over the past decade. The company peaked precisely when its aesthetic was most popular.

In the mid-2010s, the “lumbersexual” and vintage-artisan styles were dominating menswear.

Men were growing thick beards, wearing suspenders, and heavily favoring rustic, rigid accessories. A wooden bow tie was the perfect item for a rustic barn wedding in 2015.

By 2026, fashion trends have shifted dramatically. The modern landscape of formalwear favors fluidity, comfort, and soft tailoring. The rigid, heavy nature of a wooden accessory feels a bit outdated today.

Today’s consumers are leaning heavily back into rich textiles. While the bow tie itself is making a strong comeback in 2026, modern buyers want accessories that drape naturally.

Fashion Element	2015 Trends	2026 Trends
Overall Aesthetic	Rustic, Vintage, “Maker Movement”	Fluid, Deconstructed, Soft Tailoring
Popular Materials	Wood, Heavy Canvas, Raw Leather	Silk, Velvet, Breathable Linen
Tie Structure	Rigid, Pre-tied, Statement pieces	Soft draping, Hand-tied, Expressive
Event Style	Barn weddings, Vintage parties	Modern creative offices, Streetwear events

Modern fashion experts note that today’s ties are no longer symbols of strict conformity. They are fluid accessories that adapt to contemporary codes of dress. 

Silk remains the smooth, timeless choice for formal galas, while breathable cotton and linen are favored for outdoor events. Velvet has become a rich, tactile choice for cooler seasons. 

In this new landscape, where the way a fabric falls and moves is highly valued, a static piece of wood simply cannot compete.

Final Thoughts on a Successful Journey

It is easy to look at a closed business and assume it was a failure. However, the story of Two Guys Bow Ties is the exact opposite. Adam Teague and Tim Paslay created a highly innovative product that perfectly captured the mood of the 2010s. 

They built a company from scratch in their garage, successfully pitched it to famous investors on national television, secured a deal with a fashion legend, and grew their brand across the globe.

Most importantly, they proved that true entrepreneurial success lies in adaptability. When they realized their novelty wooden accessories could not sustain massive, long-term growth, they did not panic. 

They used the money, the marketing experience, and the manufacturing knowledge they gained from Two Guys Bow Ties to launch a second, much larger business.

While the wooden bow tie era has largely passed, the legacy of Two Guys Bow Ties lives on. It serves as a perfect stepping stone in the journey of two smart founders who knew exactly when to carve out a new path.