G&H Decoys has new owners following the loss of Dick Gazalski and they pledge to continue the operation here and keep the quality that has been popular with outdoor sportsmen nationwide.
The decoy business was founded as G&H Manufacturing in 1934 by John Gazalski and his father in-law, J.V. Hutton, after the federal government outlawed the use of live ducks for waterfowl hunting.
Gazalski crafted his first decoy for his personal use, but as more hunters learned of the decoys, Gazalski realized the business potential. He applied for a patent and began making the decoys in his Henryetta home. To this day, all G&H products are proudly made in Henryetta with a commitment to conservation and the history and heritage of American waterfowl hunting.
The business continued to grow but always stayed a family operation with John’s son, Dick, taking over in 1966 until his death in 2021. Learning of his passing, an ownership team organized by avid outdoorsman and local lawyer Ray Penny purchased the business in 2021. The once 150-employee strong American manufacturing company was now down to 12 employees.
“This is a piece of American history and we have to try to save it,” said G&H Decoys CEO Penny. “We have a golden moment to reintroduce this iconic brand to the American hunter.”
Under the helm of its new CEO, G&H Decoys is recommitting to the quality and craftsmanship long associated with the G&H brand. Having nearly doubled the staff, including rehiring many former employees, the team is ramping up production ahead of the 2022 waterfowl season.“When every other manufacturer was shipping jobs overseas to save money, G&H was steadfast in their commitment to not only the quality of the product they were producing, but the American worker and the American economy,” said Penny.
Utilizing the same employee built 112,000-square-foot factory in Henryetta, workers will mold, paint and assemble thousands of waterfowl decoys to ship to suppliers or sell direct online ahead of the 2022-23 hunting season.
“Eighty-eight years in business is a long time to gather clutter in the warehouse,” said Penny. “To make room for new growth, space is needed. Thus, a factory yard sale will happen Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the manufacturing facility.
Shoppers can fill a box priced at $25, $50 or $100 with as much merchandise as will fit and take home a piece of American manufacturing history.
As a further demonstration of their commitment to the conservation and history of waterfowl hunting, G&H will also donate two percent of all sales to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Fund.
“G&H decoys are heritage products. These are decoys passed down through generations because of the quality and craftsmanship, and because they last generations,” said Penny. “We will never be the flashiest product on the market because we’re building on a tradition much greater than that.”
