Kim Meckwood’s bright idea started with a simple frustration—hauling heavy grocery bags from the car to the kitchen while your fingers ache. Her solution, Click & Carry, is a small gel‑grip handle that locks several bag loops in one spot so you can carry everything at once or sling the load over your shoulder. It’s a modest gadget, yet it has taken her on a wild ride from local craft fairs to the bright lights of Shark Tank and into big‑box stores across the United States.
From a Dream to a Prototype
In 2008 Kim literally dreamed up the concept, woke up, and sketched it out. She hired a Pasadena Design School student to 3‑D‑print an early model, tweaked the mold a second time, then lined up patent protection and small‑batch manufacturing. Her next goal was building on‑shelf displays so shoppers could try the handle right in the store, but that required capital—hence her decision to pitch the Sharks.
How the Handle Works
At first glance Click & Carry looks like a curved plastic bar wrapped in soft gel, yet clever engineering hides inside:
- Rotating, locking top keeps up to four bag handles in place.
- Hands‑free option—sling the bar over your shoulder and balance weight on both sides.
- Muscle‑saving design spreads up to 80‑100 lbs so one arm isn’t doing all the work.
- Compact and feather‑light—toss it in a glove box or kitchen drawer.
- Versatile enough for grocery sacks, paint cans, sports gear, and more.
Early Sales and a Major Setback
Kim hustled her first units at neighborhood farmer’s markets and flea‑style swap events. Then life threw a curveball: a breast‑cancer diagnosis forced her to pause the side business. After treatment and recovery, she doubled down, and luck struck again when a QVC buyer spotted the handle at a Chicago housewares expo. That single connection opened doors to Ralphs, The Container Store, CorningWare outlets, ShopRite, and Amazon.
Entering the Tank
On Shark Tank Season 12, Episode 8, Kim asked for $225,000 in exchange for 15 percent of the company. She arrived with lifetime sales of $625,000 (just $70,000 in the most recent year) and healthy margins—each unit cost $1.85 to make and retailed at $11.99. Lori Greiner and Barbara Corcoran helped her show how effortlessly the handle clicks open, loads bags, then locks shut.
The Sharks Weigh In
Kevin O’Leary called Click & Carry a hobby, not a business, and bowed out. Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec also passed. Barbara offered the full $225,000 for a whopping 85 percent stake, but Kim held firm. At that point Mark Cuban suggested a joint deal: $225,000 for 40 percent, with Barbara and Mark running operations while Kim focused on new products. She agreed on the spot.
What Happened After the Cameras Stopped
Though the deal never finalized, the television exposure was golden. Orders flooded Kim’s inbox—roughly $70,000 in just a few days. Shelves at Target, Lowe’s, Walmart, and other chains soon carried the bright‑colored handles. Annual revenue climbed to about $1 million, and by 2025 analysts pegged the company’s net worth near $1.5 million on almost $8 million in lifetime sales.
In March 2022 Kim teased a second invention aimed at surfers, skiers, and construction crews. Details remain under wraps, but fans are watching social channels for the next reveal.
Where to Buy
Today you can grab Click & Carry straight from the official website, Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, eBay, and even some delivery apps like Instacart and Uber Eats in selected areas. Color choices range from deep ocean blue to hot pink, and the handle still sells for roughly a dozen dollars—a small price to save your fingers,
The Big Takeaway
Click & Carry proves that a tiny tweak to an everyday chore can snowball into a thriving brand. Kim Meckwood turned one late‑night brainstorm into a product that helps shoppers, painters, athletes, and anyone who juggles too many bags. Whether you hoist groceries up an apartment stairwell or haul gear to practice, this little handle turns the job into a one‑trip, pain‑free stroll—and it all started because one entrepreneur refused to let go of her simple, practical idea.
