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While there may not be anyone like "Jungle" Jim Bonaminio in Fairfield — or even Butler County and Ohio — author George Whalin found at least 24 others like him around the country.

The owner of California-based Retail Management Consultants has written "Retail Superstars: Inside the 25 Best Independent Stores in America," and he said the owner of Jungle Jim's International Market is one the best.

The book is scheduled to be released on May 28.

"I found him to be a fascinating character," Whalin said. "It takes some of that 'wild crazy guy' kind of person to make it work, and he does it as well as anybody."

Whalin said none of the 25 people he interviewed and wrote about had "some grand plan to build some great retail business."

Publicity is not uncommon for the flamboyant Bonaminio. He said any positive notoriety for his store is "wonderful."

"Jungle Jim's constantly goes out of bounds," Bonaminio said, "we're always looking for something different."

Bonaminio recently flew to Albuquerque, N.M. for a hot sauce convention "looking for something that nobody has" and promoting the Weekend of Fire hot sauce festival Aug. 1-2 at Jungle Jim's.

"We're the only grocery store there," he said of the New Mexico convention. "We'll look around for some unique, good-tasting value products that are different — and that's what we do all the time."

He said that dedication for a quarter-century has garnered publicity — from numerous newspaper and magazine articles to television appearances on Food TV and Good Morning America.

"That man is writing about us because of what we do and the energy that we put into that store to be unique and different," Bonaminio said.

And unique is a common characteristic among all 25 business owners featured in the book, Whalin said.

"They don't look at the business the same way as anyone else does," he said.

Bonamino said by the time the Weekend of Fire begins, the mono rail is scheduled to be operational.

"Little unique things like that make the experience unique," Bonaminio said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.