Dive Brief:
- Ohio-based Jungle Jim’s International Market has opened "The Oscar Station," a bourbon bar and event center behind its Fairfield, Ohio location, according to CityBeat. The bar features more than 40 bourbons, an expansive cocktail menu, snacks and appetizers and a cigar lounge.
- The Oscar Station will be connected by monorail to the store's Oscar Event Center above the grocery store. It will be available for private events when it's not operating as a bar for the public.
- Jungle Jim's will host a grand opening event at the bourbon bar Jan. 11, featuring music, giveaways and raffles. Guests will be able to order drinks from the bar.
Dive Insight:
Jungle Jim’s International Market has always had a flair for making shopping less of a chore and more of an experience. The Fairfield location is already home to The Oscar Event Center, a venue for weddings, corporate events and parties. Jungle Jim's also operates other venues including a cooking school and the Jungle Experience Center (JXC), a multimedia center that hosts classes, seminars and virtual reality experiences.
The Oscar Station will feature bourbons that range from $18 to $125 for a 1.5-ounce pour, which could generate notable sales. The collection will include options like Van Winkle Special Reserve 12-year and Macallan 25-year. Currently the bar is only open to the public Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Jungle Jim’s joins larger chains like Whole Foods and Albertsons as well as smaller retailers like DeCicco & Sons in New York and Oliver’s Market in California that have added in-store bars to complement the shopping experience. Bars are a natural extension to grocers' wine and beer sales strategies. They also create a platform to introduce shoppers to local or unique products in a relaxed and educational environment.
Bars also add to the community feel of local grocery stores. Brick-and-mortar have the advantage of offering human connection and experience that shoppers can't get online.
