Jungle Jim's International Market

Jungle Jim’s International Market (Also known as just Jungle Jim’s) is a chain of grocery stores in the Cincinnati, Ohio area founded by “Jungle” Jim Bonaminio. The stores are known for being large in size, containing a large selection of domestic and foreign foods. They also contain various displays and attractions, including various animatronics both created for the store and purchased from other locations in Ohio.

Detailed History & Events

1971

• Jim Bonaminio sets up his first semi-permanent produce stand. Located on the corner of Erie Blvd and High Street in Hamilton, this stand is set up on a former used car lot. The stand reportedly made $200 a week.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

1972

• Jim would move his stand to a new location in Mariemont, over 30 miles south of Hamilton. This location featured screen doors and windows, as well as a proper roof. A gas station on property was converted into a place for Jim and his family to live. ^[2]
• Later in the year the stand would move again, this time back north to the corner of Route 4 and Symmes Road in Fairfield. ^[2]

1973

• Jim was getting used to moving the stand around often, The traffic his business brought made the vacant lots it was placed on much more desirable to developers, who would buy the land and force Jungle Jim’s to move. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
• After setting up a temporary location at 1215 Main St on the west side of Hamilton, the stand would move back to Fairfield on Route 4, this time across from the Fisher Body manufacturing plant. ^[2]

1974

• Jim would purchase a piece of property in Fairfield from Jim Ivers and Bruce Cunagin to build a permanent year-round location for Jungle Jim’s. Jim didn’t have any credit and refused to have his parents be his co-signers, Bruce’s mom Fanny would step up and co-sign for him. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

1975

• The store had issues getting the proper permits from the city, since the land was zoned for industrial use. The biggest argument for Jungle Jim’s to operate was that an exemption to the zoning had been made for an Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips location that had been built nearby. Esther Benzing, president of Fairfield’s planning commission, reportedly told Jim “good luck son” after approving the store to operate. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
• The location at Fairfield, OH (5440 Dixie Hwy) opens sometime during this year. The store is only 4,200 square feet. Today, this area is the Health and Beauty department. ^[1]

1982

• The store receives its first major expansion, adding more general grocery items like milk and bread to the produce selection, and bringing the store to 15,000 square feet. ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾

1983

• Jim has a pond filled with animal statues and palm trees constructed in front of the store. This was intended to make visiting Jungle Jim’s an experience for the whole family, as well as making the store more recognizable.^[3]

1984

• The animatronics from the Cincinnati, OH (11400 Princeton Pike)) Pizza Time Theater location would be purchased my Jungle Jim’s when the location closed.

1986

• In January, Jungle Jim’s would purchase The Rock-afire Explosion show from the Cincinnati, OH (3365 Highland Ave) Showbiz Pizza Place at auction.

1988

• The store would expand again, this time to 45,000 square feet. This update would add an international foods section, along with installing Elvis and Dolly, slightly adjusted versions of The King and Dolli Dimples respectively.

1993

• The first part of a massive expansion would open, this section adding another 45,000 square feet to the building.

1995

• January

  • The 31st is listed as First Use Date for the name “Jungle Jim’s International Farmers Market”. ^[4]

  September

  • The second part of the expansion would open on the 11th. This additional 68,000 square feet saw a major expansion to the international foods section, along with the bakery, deli, and the addition a cooking school. In terms of attractions, this expansion saw a large boat added to the seafood department, on top a band named “Nirobi Trio”. consisting of a retrofitted Billy Bob, Fatz, and Cyberamic Chuck E. would preform. A Pasqually retrofit named Luigi would be added to the Italy section and the Warblettes added to the pet department. ^[5]

1997

• Mid 1997

  • The Nirobi Trio begins to be modified to be more sea themed.

  Late 1997

  • The European Village begins construction, Dolly is removed.

1999

• By June, the Nirobi Trio would be removed and replaced with The General Mills Big G Cereal Bowl Band. A national trademark would be filed on October 5th. ⁽⁴⁾⁽⁶⁾

2001

• The store drops the “Farmers” from its name and begins using the current branding. ^[7]

2002

• A 15,000 square feet expansion to the International Groceries/Specialty Foods department is built, adding an animatronic Robin Hood display over the England section. ^[3]

2004

• Opening of an 85,000 expansion, including a new entrance and a wine cellar. Also under construction is a strip mall on one side of the building.

2005

• Plans are announced to built a second 75,000 square foot location at 3120 Forrer Street as an anchor for the Cincinnati Millworks project. While planned to open in early 2007, these plans would not come to fruition. ^[8]

2007

• Opening of the Oscar Event Center.

2008

• Jungle Jim’s purchases Corn Cob Bob from Lifeformations. While the character was originally designed for The Big Yummy show at COSI in Columbus, he is now installed as a greeter.

2011

• Jungle Jim’s announces plans with the Union Township Clermont County government to open a second location in what was formerly known as Bigg’s Place mall. More specifically renovating the entire center and opening the new location in the space of its former anchor, Bigg’s Hypermarket. ^[9]

2012

The Eastgate location, Cincinnati, OH (4450 Eastgate S Dr) opens on September 25th.