Our Story

Every idea starts with a problem and every great solution starts with family. The problem was simple: your home deserves to look great. After years of watching his brother in law TJ, handcraft wood furniture, cabinets and intricate pieces in homes around Iowa, Payton came up with the solution and this is how BoWood began. They launched in 2015 to bring creative and new products in the homes of those looking for a healthier and more elegant way to cook. For years, TJ has been drawn to art and found his purpose in bringing his craft into the homes of others by the work he’s done. With a passion for a creative outlet, Payton and TJ were able to solve this really simple problem. In 2015, BoWood began in a garage converted to a wood shop, with the goal of coming up with a simple, clean and refined style that sets BoWood apart from others. TJ picked up the tools he’d used for years and began the creative process of crafting a line of cutting boards and kitchen utensils that you see today. BoWood is here to make sure that your legacy lives on through the memories that will be developed over these hand-crafted tools and the foods that were cooked with them. That is why we are here, to bring you some of the best hand-crafted wooden kitchen products you can find. We want to give you something that you can be proud to hand off to your next generation. We'd love it if you would choose to join us in this journey to allowing families to get back to the tried and true craftsmanship that we have all but abandoned.

Timothy (TJ) Bowen, Head Craftsman

TJ and his wife Whitney have two kids, Olivia and Vinny. TJ has spent the past 12 years working as a carpenter, doing everything from house framing, roofing, and general labor to fine cabinetry, furniture and finish work. His work is on display in some of the finest homes around the state of Iowa as he has developed a reputation for his finish work. TJ's primary role with BoWood is product design and manufacturing. He is the creative craftsman behind everything you see. He's also the primary cook in his home so he gets his inspiration from working in the kitchen. He also helps with many other aspects of the business including attending shows, sourcing materials, shipping, but most importantly creating each of the beautiful products you receive by hand. When he's not doing something with wood (which doesn't feel like very often) TJ loves a good steak, adding hot-sauce to everything and making a mean batch of chili. He usually can be found visiting the gun range, remodeling his house and taking his family into the great outdoors. TJ and Whitney both currently reside in Iowa with their 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, along with their dog.

Payton Schirm, Business Development Manager

Payton and his wife Alexa are middle school sweethearts and have been together for over half of each others lives. Payton is a master when it comes to everything behind-the-scenes. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and has worked as an engineer, and most recently as a sales manager for the past year. Payton’s primary roles with BoWood Company are editor, writer, internet marketing, and overall business strategy. He is also involved with most every other aspect of the business including attending shows, social media, accounting, shipping, customer support, and sometimes TJ lets him into the shop to sand a few products. Outside of work, Payton loves riding bikes, working out, running, working outside around the house, finding a great burger and playing with his three girls. He also looks forward to taking the family on weekend camping trips and enjoying the outdoors and one day starting his own non-profit to help teach young kids the ins and outs of starting a business. Payton and Alexa both currently reside in Iowa with their three daughters ages 8, 5 and 4, along with their golden retriever and two milk goats.

Why BoWood Company?

With BoWood Company, we want to show you that being in the kitchen and cooking with wooden utensils can be one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have. The foods and memories that are created with these tools will stick around forever and we want to be the ones that provide these tools for you. Whether that means educating you on why wood is much safer and healthier to cook with or providing you with a custom one-off piece that you and your family can enjoy, we are here to make sure that you experience with cooking is an enjoyable one.

What are people saying?

"This new cutting board is almost too pretty to cut on!! Even my youngest, who loves working cutting just about anything said that he was nervous he'd mess it up." ~Adrienne U. "We use our cutting board all the time, it's perfect for cutting small fruits and veggies! The cookie spatula is amazing and scoops up really well. We also use our spurtle for pretty much everything... sauteeing veggies, scrambled eggs, ground beef. I was able to throw out our plastic utensils which I didn't think I would ever do." ~Abby C.

I fell in love with all of BoWood products the first time I saw them. The cutting boards were so unique and beautiful that was instantly drawn to them. Now that I have several of their products (including a small cutting board, a spatula, and a spurtle), I can say that my initial draw to BoWood was not misplaced. I was pretty hesitant to use my cutting board in the beginning because I didn't want to ruin its beauty. After some encouragement from the BoWood team, I am happy to say I've been cutting away and after several washes, my cutting board is still beautiful. Cutting down on the board gives a very solid cut without digging into the wood. Mostly, I love that I can cut things on the cutting board and take it straight to the table to serve. It is so unique and well-made that it is both utilitarian and display worthy! My cooking utensils have held up similarly well! They are pretty much all I use now since they can be used with any pan and they look great sitting next to the stove in the spoon rest. I cannot recommend this company enough. I love their products for their look, their durability, their value and am saving up now for a bigger cutting board! ~Steph A.

What can you expect?

You deserve the best quality and workmanship from everything that we produce. You can expect us to go above and beyond to make sure that you have the best experience possible when working with us. Our number one goal is to make sure that you are completely satisfied with everything you receive from us. We take great care in crafting and finishing each and every product we make and we want you to know how to care for your wood products so they can last for many generations. The woods we use are a diverse material and we will always strive to provide you with the most consistent and beautiful wood that we can find to give you the best looking piece we can. If for any reason we don't meet your expectations we will go above and beyond to correct it, just drop us a line and let us know how we can help.