Great Lakes Wholesale International LAST VERIFIED: August 5, 2026

Great Lakes Wholesale International is a general merchandise distributor headquartered in Lockport, Illinois, with more than 45 years in business. It stocks over 5,000 unique wholesale products across health and beauty, personal care, OTC medicines under the Health A2Z label, food and grocery, household and cleaning goods, tools and hardware, pet items and general merchandise, with a heavy closeout business alongside everyday lines. Its customer base centers on dollar and discount retailers, grocers and farm stores. The company also runs a private label program, Great Lakes Select, and offers pallet and truckload ordering for volume buyers who want to move beyond standard case-pack purchasing.

Buying requires registration, and pricing is hidden until an account is created. The order minimum is $1,000, with pallet and truckload ordering available above the standard level. The company claims rapid fulfillment with one to two day shipping, though carriers and freight terms are not detailed publicly, and payment methods are not published. One recent issue buyers should know: in November 2025 the CPSC recalled roughly 32,600 Great Lakes Select button and coin battery packs, made in China, for violating Reese’s Law child-resistant packaging requirements, with a refund offered as the remedy. To its credit, the company posts the recall notice prominently on its own site.

Great Lakes Wholesale is a sensible fit for dollar stores, discount retailers, grocers and farm stores that buy broad general merchandise assortments and can clear the $1,000 minimum, especially those hunting closeout deals. The 45-year operating history and transparent posting of the recall notice count in its favor. The recall itself, however, is a genuine caveat for anyone stocking the Great Lakes Select private label: buyers should confirm affected lots are out of circulation and ask about compliance processes for imported goods. Retailers who need visible pricing before registering, or who want sub-$1,000 trial orders, will find the model less accommodating and may prefer open-catalog wholesalers.