We recently went on a road trip with John and Jackie to Jungle Jim’s International Market.  It was a day trip all the way south to Cincinnati.  We were taking bottles of Fartley Farms Hot Sauce to Jungle Jim’s so they could start selling it.  We picked up Steve and Amy Winstead on our way past Miamisburg so they could accompany us.

I had never heart of Jungle Jim’s so I was excited to check it out.  Anyplace that sells my son’s hot sauce has to be a good place.  I certainly wasn’t expecting the Disneyworld of International Markets in Cincinnati.  From the jungle themed Monorail outside to the animals decorating everything inside, the market was a theme park of shopping.

There are two Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati and we went to the Eastgate location.  Both stores have over 200,000 square feet of shopping space and over 180,000 products.  The stores are so large they have a “plan your trip” button on the web page.  Everything is designed with a fun vibe, enticing you to explore and take your time while shopping.  Even the restrooms were fun.  They looked so much like port-a-pots that Tom waited for someone to come out before he went in.

The store is divided up into sections.  The International section is the largest with special items from all over the world.  “The Wall of Rice” caught my eye.  There was a whole room full of olive oils.  Teas of all flavors from all over the world.  John, of course, headed straight to the hot sauce section, which is accented with an old fire truck.  They have a special “made in Ohio” section where his hot sauce will stand out.

Other store sections include a huge bakery, produce, international produce, seafood, meat, gluten-free, honey, the “International Hut of Preserves,” a maple syrup section, a cheese shop, and candyland.  Everything was very well organized but it isn’t a place to run in and run out.  On the Saturday we were there the parking lot was packed and Tom and I didn’t feel comfortable inside the store.  Even though the store is very spread out, it was just too many people in these covid times.  We would love to visit again when the pandemic is over and we can spend a lot of time there.

John dropped off his hot sauce, we did a little shopping at Jungle Jim’s, and then we headed back to Steve and Amy’s for a visit.  We are excited that John’s hot sauce will be sold in such a big store.

If you are heading to Cincinnati, Jungle Jim’s International Market is an interesting and fun place to stop.  But be sure that you plan to spend some time there.  You will want to explore the Jungle.