Other locations

Jungle Jim’s International Market will be one of six “mega stores” featured on a fall episode of The History Channel’s Modern Marvels. The show is set for Oct. 29. Five of the six stores are set:

• Jungle Jim’s International Market, Fairfield

• Macy’s, New York City

• Home Depot Superstore, Vauxhall, N.J.

• Richie Bros. Auctioneers, Olympia, Wash.

• Bass Pro Shop, Springfield, Mo.

Recent Jungle Jim’s notoriety

Jungle Jim’s is a marquee attraction for Fairfield, and has garnered attention nationally and internationally. Here are some recent highlights:

• In May 2009, author George Whalin, the owner of California-based Retail Management Consultants, released a book titled “Retail Superstars: Inside the 25 Best Independent Stores in America,” which featured Jungle Jim’s and the store’s owner, Jim Bonaminio.

• In July 2008, writer and producer Julie Hassett, a 1988 Badin High School graduate, filmed scenes of her independent movie “Joy” at Jungle Jim’s. The movie was shown at several film festivals.

• After Jungle Jim’s was not included on a “Good Morning America” segment on the greatest seafood departments in America, the show was inundated with e-mails asking why Jungle Jim’s wasn’t included. The producers at Good Morning America decided to highlight the Fairfield supermarket in January 2007.

• Later in January 2007, The Daily Mirror, a British publication, published a story on Jungle Jim’s. The photographer for the story wrote in an e-mail to the Fairfield Echo saying, “It’s a unique shopping experience. It was a fun assignment and being British, it was great to see foods from home. Some of the products in there reminded me of my childhood.”

• After the story appeared in The Daily Mirror, BBC Radio Five Live attempted to interview Bonaminio but could not due to breaking news. Dave Goodman, a broadcast journalist with BBC Radio, wrote in an e-mail to the Fairfield Echo in January 2007, “We love good human interest stories and with so many bland supermarkets in the UK, we thought our listeners would enjoy hearing about a different type of shopping experience. We’re interested in the design of the supermarket and what inspired Jim to fill it with such unusual decor.”