Jungle Jim's International Market

Often described as an adventure in grocery shopping, your senses will be stretched to the limit from the delectable food samplings, the tantalizing smells emanating from the scratch bakery, brightly colored food displays and the bustle of carts weaving in and out of the amazing assortment of products. Little did owner and store namesake, Jim Bonaminio know when he started his market that he would take grocery shopping to a new level. Jungle Jim’s has grown over the years from a simple roadside stand to a 300,000-square-foot food extravaganza and tourist destination, offering over 150,000 different items from over 75 countries around the globe and employing an average of 350 employees throughout each year.

Jungle Jim's International Market is described as a theme park for foodies. Founded in 1974 by "Jungle" Jim Bonaminio, the store started as a small produce stand and has grown to over 6½ acres of floorspace. Jungle Jim's is noted for having one of the largest wine collections in the United States, live seafood tanks, and an in-store cooking school in addition to a 1000 person Event Center. Each week, the store is visited by approximately 50,000 shoppers, whom Bonaminio calls "Foodies". Many of the specialty foods in the store's Asian and European departments are difficult to find elsewhere in the Greater Cincinnati area, and customers have been known to drive from other cities, and even states, for the store's wide variety of foods and unique shopping experience.

Jungle Jim's resembles a theme park beginning in the parking lot and continuing to the unusual displays throughout the store. The entry is a jungle itself, with gorillas, giraffes, elephants and monkeys greeting you with the occasional roar and the splashing of a miniature waterfall in the background. Inside are several animatronic displays, such as a lion that sings Elvis Presley songs at regular intervals and a "rock band" composed of General Mills cereal mascots. The miniature storefronts in Jungle Jim's' European section represent the architectural styles of various countries, and the Mexican section is covered by what appears to be the adobe façade and wooden frame of a cantina. Subtle humor is injected into many parts of the store, such as the trashcans once labeled "Jungle Junk," the "Adult Oriented Hot Sauces" section, and the restroom entrances disguised as portable toilets - which by the way, earned Jungle Jim's the "Best Restroom in America" award for 2007.

Jungle Jim's International Market is an independently owned and operated grocery store located in Fairfield, Ohio catering to Local, Regional and International food items.