Fairfield, Ohio - Jungle Jim's Unusual Grocery Store

Fairfield, Ohio - Jungle Jim's Wacky Grocery Store

Seeking out Jungle Jim's wacky grocery store was well worth the detour. I have to say, it's the coolest grocery store ever! Any kid would beg to go shopping with mom! When we first walked in, it seemed like any other big grocers....until we saw the singing Cambells soup can up on his swing. A simple trip to the restrooms was a pleasant surprise as well (I won't give the surprise away - sorry!). There were delights to see all over the store as well as an amazingly large selection of product to choose from. We left the store with smiles on our faces and a cart full of stuff to take back to Canada and show off. [T.Devonshire, 11/10/2006]

[RA: January 2007: Unofficial word is that Jungle Jim's will be lifting its ban on visitor photography. Here's the store's Robin Hood scene...]

Fairfield, Ohio - Jungle Jim's Unusual Grocery Store

Went and enjoyed browsing around but wanted to pass on one important note - Jungle Jim's does not allow photographs inside the store! I was very disappointed in that. They say on their sign that you can buy their postcards (since you can't take pictures) but when we finally found the postcards they were pretty lacking. I wanted cards of the main attractions (singing animals, Aisle of Inferno...) and they didn't have them. Mostly cards of Jungle Jim himself. [thj, 08/24/2006]

[RA: Another tipster sent in this photo taken in an unnamed location of an unidentified soup can man swinging near the bread aisle. Perhaps Jungle Jim's attractions look something like this!]

Fairfield (Cincinnati), Ohio - Jungle Jim's Unusual Grocery Store

From their Website www.junglejims.com:

"Located on Route 4 in Fairfield, Jungle Jim's International Farmers Market is Ohio's Famous Playground for Food Lovers. Customers shop in four acres of food from all around the world all under one roof! Jungle Jim's is an International Marketplace offering thousands of imported and national brand groceries, an International Cheese Shop, fresh seafood, a world class walk-in humidor, a state of the art Cooking School , an international beer and wine library, and more! It is the ultimate food shopping adventure."

Jungle Jim's is the strangest place I've ever been. Visit the Aisle of Inferno, which offers a selection of over 800 hot sauces, and is outfitted with fire-fighting equipment in case the sauce is a little too hot! There is also an 8-person movie theatre, where you can (free of charge) watch the story of Jungle Jim's rise to fame. It is also a great place to shop for hard to find exotic items from Asia, Asia Minor, South America and Europe. [Gregg Lind, 11/11/2001]

Fairfield, Ohio - Jungle Jim's - Jungle-themed grocery store

Starting off with a roadside stand, Jungle Jim grew over the past few decades into a very unique, full line "international food market." Jim has collected items over the years from various businesses, including the monorail train from nearby King's Island. The entry is a jungle itself, with flowing water, gorillas, giraffes, elephants and monkeys greeting you. Inside the store, "Bearvis" sings, Luigi sings about his pasta and many other animated objects keep you entertained while shopping. [Jeff Smith, 07/01/2001]

Fairfield - Hamilton!, Ohio - Jungle Jim's Unusual Grocery Store

In your customarily condescending way, you remark about the city of Hamilton, Ohio: "Now all Hamilton can boast about is its monument to Captain John Symmes, 'originator of the theory of concentric spheres and the polar voids.'"

You obviously know nothing about "Jungle Jim's Dixie Market." Any city having a market that ensures its visitors are "welcomed into the giant produce department by a singing mechanical lion impersonating Elvis" is certainly not worthy of the contemptuous attitude you display towards it. Shame on you! [anon., 07/23/2000]

[RA: Though Jungle Jim's is actually in Fairfield, we probably owe Hamilton another visit. It is, after all, the only US town to add a "!" to their name, as they did in 1986. The "!" was demanded removed in 1991 by the city council, claiming it didn't look right on Hamilton's bicentennial seal, which the mayor designed. The "!" barely survived that fracas, and can still be found on stationery and promo lit.]