Animal Crossing: New Horizons — How to upgrade Nook's Cranny to the General Store

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is all about developing a deserted island into a thriving village. To do that, you need to erect several different buildings on your island, including a new Resident Services building, a clothing shop, a museum, and a store called Nook's Cranny. Eventually, Timmy and Tommy's store can get upgraded, allowing you to obtain even more goods for your island. But, you're going to have to put in some time and a substantial amount of money to upgrade Nook's Cranny. Here's how to do it.

• How to upgrade Nook's Cranny
• Perks of upgrading Nook's Cranny

How to upgrade Nook's Cranny

According to data miner, Ninji, three requirements need to be met before you can upgrade Nook's Cranny. If you haven't built the original store, here's a guide on how to do that.

1. You must allow 30 days to pass from the time that the original Nook's Cranny shop was built.

   Source: iMore

2. You must have bought or sold a total of 200,000 Bells during the time that the original store has been in place. You can check the Bell Ringer Nook Miles Quest, and it will tell you how many Bells you've spent so far in the game. For example, at the time this screenshot was taken, I had spent 914,400 Bells in my Animal Crossing game.

   Source: iMore

3. Mabel must have visited your island at least once. If you've gotten far enough that she's set up the Able Sisters clothing store then you're golden.

   Source: iMore

4. Once you meet each of these three requirements, all you have to do is turn the game on the next day. You'll be greeted by Isabelle with her normal daily announcement routine. She'll inform you that Nook's Cranny is going to be upgraded and will go under construction the following day.

   Source: iMore

5. The next day, Nook's Cranny will be covered in a large green construction tent and you won't be able to access it. But come the following day, the new shop will be open and ready for you to enter.

   Source: iMore

Perks of upgrading Nook's Cranny

You might be thinking to yourself, what exactly are the benefits of upgrading Timmy and Tommy's store? Well, I'm so delighted that you asked.

Upon upgrading Nook's Cranny, you'll be able to purchase more goods from Timmy and Tommy. This, in turn, gives you more options to decorate your island or your home. The sales floor is larger and can accomodate larger items that wouldn't have fit in the original Nook's Cranny. On top of that, the walls and flooring menu is expanded so you can see more purchasing options. Finally, the upgraded store just looks a lot nicer than the original and helps you feel like you made more progress in the game.

Moving up

Now you know how to upgrade Nook's Cranny in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Not only does this make your island village look more developed, but it also allows you to purchase additional items. Have fun while creating the island getaway of your dreams. I hope you can turn it into exactly what you want it to be.