JUNGLE JIM'S Expanding store offers cultural food and flair

The Ohio farmers market has emerged as a United Nations of grocery shopping.
FAIRFIELD, Ohio (AP) -- Jungle Jim's International Farmers Market, as much a tourist attraction as a grocery store, is getting ready to add a strip mall for upscale retailing.
"There's a bunch of people showing interest in coming here because we're trying to create something unique," said founder and owner Jim Bonaminio.
"We are hand-picking businesses that have flair."
Exotic foods
Jungle Jim's, a 180,000-square-foot emporium, specializes in exotic foods and produce from around the world. Bonaminio, who wears jungle attire and glides around his empire on a scooter, has been adding to the International Market bit by bit since he moved indoors from a roadside produce stand four decades ago.
As the region just north of Cincinnati has become more diverse, Jungle Jim's has emerged as a United Nations of grocery shopping.
Customers come from Indiana, Kentucky and throughout Ohio -- natives of Guatemala, Japan, India, France and other countries -- in search of hard-to-find comfort foods from home.
Expansion
Now Bonaminio is on the verge of his long-dreamed expansion. Starbucks Coffee, Fifth Third Bank, Peters' Burg European Restaurant, Raymond's Hong Kong Cafi, Coldstone Ice Cream, Blue Moon Furniture and Vincenzo's Restaurant are finalizing building plans and leases for Jungle Jim's complex, store officials announced.
A bookstore, toy store, microbrewery, hair salon and spa, and Western-style boot and apparel store could join the mix in an $8 million to $10 million expansion.
Bilingual tellers
Some of the incoming stores are putting a twist on their usual offerings to cater to Jungle Jim's international flair. The Fifth Third Bank branch will have some tellers who are bilingual.
"Having bilingual tellers was important to Jungle because the people who shop in his store need additional services, one being someone who speaks more than just English," said Francie Henry, Fifth Third's Butler County vice president and regional manager.
"You really have to try to cater to your customers in all markets, but we are really taking the lead off of Jungle," Henry said. "He's kind of leading us to what he thinks will be a successful bank in that grocery store."