Our Story
Alex Malecha, a Minnesota born hockey player, has been surrounded by gear his whole life, but Gear Guyz officially began with one simple SidelineSwap sale. At 15, Alex was bored over the COVID-19 pandemic, so he listed a pair of skates online hoping to make some money. The day he sold, packaged, and dropped the skates off at the post office, he was hooked.
He cleared out his family’s garage, selling every piece of outgrown hockey gear he could find. That’s when he realized that every family, sporting goods store, and sports team has the same problem: piles of perfectly good equipment collecting dust. On April 17th, 2022, Alex launched Gear Guyz with a simple mission: “Give us your gear. Get your garage back.”
In the early days, inventory was tough to come by. Alex went from shop to shop in Minnesota asking if he could buy or clear out their old stock, and after several rejections, he finally found a warehouse full of discontinued and excess sporting goods. Much of it was brand new, and instead of letting it go to waste, he sorted and organized nearly 2,000 pieces by hand, ready to give them a second life.
By his junior and senior year of high school, Alex’s mornings looked a little different than most students’. Before heading to class, he’d make daily runs to the post office and FedEx with a car packed to the roof with packages. More often than not, he’d be walking into first period a few minutes late after unloading all the orders.
Since then, Gear Guyz has exploded in both size and reputation. Alex has worked directly with NCAA and junior hockey teams, bringing in premium pro stock sticks, skates, gloves, helmets, and more. His parents help with shipping, but Alex and his employees personally inspect, photograph, and list everything from used hockey sticks to brand new pro stock skates. Orders ship the next day, and customers always get quick, personal responses.
Today, Gear Guyz is one of the fastest-growing sources for pro stock hockey equipment in Minnesota and ships nationwide. Whether a customer is looking to buy used hockey gear online, upgrade to discount pro stock sticks, or sell their old equipment for cash, Gear Guyz offers the same promise Alex started with: honest service, quality gear, and fast shipping.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: make hockey more accessible, keep it affordable, and keep quality gear in circulation.
We believe players should have access to great equipment without overpaying, and teams should have an easy, reliable way to move gear they are no longer using responsibly. We inspect and repair every item carefully, price it fairly, describe it honestly, and ship fast.
Gear Guyz exists because we love the game and want to see it grow. Whether that means helping younger players get better equipment, giving everyday players access to pro stock gear, or keeping usable equipment from going to waste, everything we do is centered around keeping hockey fun, fair, and accessible.
Meet Our Team
Alex Malecha
Founder/Owner
Alex runs Gear Guyz — finding the best pro stock and used hockey gear, making sure every piece is inspected, photographed, and listed, and getting orders out the door fast. He also handles the deals with teams, runs the website, answers customer questions, and keeps the business growing.
Jennifer Malecha
Order Fulfilment Manager
Jennifer keeps orders moving fast. She picks and pulls gear from the shelves, and makes sure every shipment gets out on time.
Doug Malecha
Shipping Manager
Doug makes sure every order is packed safely and shipped out on time. He sources the right boxes, builds shelves to keep the warehouse organized, and ensures gear gets from the shelf to the customer without a hitch.
Why Shop Gear Guyz
We believe the details matter.
Every piece of equipment is personally handled from start to finish. That means careful inspection, accurate listings, and a level of attention you don’t get from large marketplaces or big box stores. What you see is what you get.
We specialize in pro stock and used gear because we know performance and fit matter. Orders ship quickly, communication is straightforward, and questions are answered by people who actually know the equipment.
When you shop with Gear Guyz, you’re not dealing with a warehouse or a third-party platform. You’re buying from a small, dedicated operation that values trust, consistency, and doing right by the customer.