How to Get Leif to Open a Shop in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
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The charming sloth, Leif, is a beloved character in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, known for his love of all things flora. While he initially visits your island as a traveling merchant, many players wonder how to get him to open a permanent shop. The answer lies in the 2.0 update for the game, which expanded the functionality of Harv’s Island. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to get Leif’s shop up and running:
Unlocking Leif’s Shop at Harv’s Island
Leif’s shop isn’t on your personal island, but rather a part of the expanded Harv’s Island Plaza. To unlock it, you’ll first need to have Harv’s Island accessible. This happens after you’ve had at least three villagers move onto your island, at which point Harvey will come and invite you to visit.
Once you’ve visited Harv’s Island for the first time, you can begin unlocking the permanent shops at the plaza. Specifically for Leif’s shop:
- Visit Harv’s Island: Ensure you’ve met Harvey on your island and then traveled to his island at least once.
- Locate the Lloids: Upon entering the plaza, you’ll find several Gyroids (Lloids) standing in designated spots. These Lloids represent different vendors who can set up shop on the plaza.
- Find the Botany Expert Lloid: The Lloid you need is the third one on the right. He’ll tell you he’s looking to invite a ‘botany expert with the greenest of thumbs.’ This is how you know you’ve found the correct Lloid.
- Contribute Bells: To unlock Leif’s shop, you’ll need to donate 100,000 Bells to this specific Lloid. Once you’ve contributed, the shop construction will begin.
- Shop is Open: After your contribution, Leif will now have a shop open at Harv’s Island Plaza! He will be there every day and will sell a variety of plants, bushes, seeds, and other botanical items.
How to Access Harv’s Island
You can access Harv’s Island for free from the airport on your island. Simply speak to Orville and choose to visit Harv’s Island. There are no costs involved in travel to and from the island.
Why Get Leif’s Shop?
Having Leif’s permanent shop at Harv’s Island is advantageous for several reasons:
- Consistent Access: Unlike his sporadic visits to your island, Leif’s shop at Harv’s Island is open every day.
- Expanded Inventory: Leif’s shop at Harv’s Island offers a broader selection of plants, bushes, and seeds compared to when he visits your island. This includes more seasonal items and different types of starts.
- Convenience: You can easily hop to Harv’s Island any time for your gardening supplies, making it a convenient destination.
- Weed Disposal: Leif will pay you a premium for weeds – 20 Bells each, which is double what you’d get at Nook’s Cranny.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How Often Does Leif Visit My Island?
Leif visits your island roughly every two weeks. He sets up a stall outside Resident Services, and is typically available until 5 am the following day. He does not appear on Sundays to make way for K.K. Slider.
2. Does Leif Pay More for Weeds?
Yes, Leif pays 20 Bells per clump of weeds, which is double the price you would receive from the Nook’s Cranny shop. This makes selling weeds to him a lucrative option.
3. Can Leif Visit My Island Before Nook’s Cranny is Built?
It’s likely that Leif will not visit your island until you have built Nook’s Cranny, similar to the way Mable of the Able Sisters is introduced into the game. This is hinted at in his comments when he introduces himself to the player.
4. What Does Leif Sell?
On your island, Leif typically sells seasonal plants as well as bushes. At Harv’s Island shop, his inventory expands to include a wider range of plant starts, flower seeds, and bushes, some of which are not available in the base game or from Nook’s Cranny.
5. How Many Times Do I Need to Buy From Leif for the Hedge DIY?
If you purchase items from Leif on your island on three separate occasions, outside of Nature Day, he will give you the DIY recipe for the hedge.
6. How Do I Unlock Shops on Harv’s Island?
To unlock the various shops on the Harv’s Island Plaza, you need to donate 100,000 Bells to the Gyroid (Lloid) standing at the location where each shop will be built. There are different Lloids, each representing a unique shop and vendor.
7. Can I Explore Harv’s Island Right Away?
You cannot explore Harv’s Island until you have had three villagers move into your island. Once that condition is met, Harvey will visit and invite you to see his island.
8. Can I Get Leif to Stay on My Island Permanently?
Leif cannot be made to stay permanently on your island, outside of having his shop at the plaza on Harv’s Island. On your island, he will stay until 5 am, which is the reset time for every island.
9. How Do I Upgrade Harv’s Island?
To upgrade Harv’s Island, you first need to meet Harvey on your island. Travel to his island, follow the tutorial for taking pictures inside his home, and then, with the 2.0 update, you can unlock the plaza by talking to the Gyroids (Lloids) and donating 100,000 bells to each one.
10. What is Photopia on Harv’s Island?
Photopia is a feature on Harv’s Island that allows you to create custom scenes and take pictures. You can decorate rooms, invite villagers as models, and dress them up.
11. Is Harv’s Island Worth Visiting?
Yes, Harv’s Island is worth visiting, especially after the 2.0 update. It provides access to a variety of shops, including Leif’s, as well as other useful services and features, such as storage and custom designs.
12. Who is Tortimer at Harv’s Island?
Tortimer is another character at the Harv’s Island Plaza. He allows you access to your in-home storage. He functions just like a storage shed and is especially handy for moving items between your home and Harv’s Island.
13. Does Harriet on Harv’s Island Cut Hair?
Yes, Harriet, the poodle hair stylist, has a salon on Harv’s Island. She can give you a new haircut once per day and you can always revert it back to your original style if you don’t like the result.
14. What Are the Top Hairstyles That Harriet Can Give?
Some of the top hairstyles that Harriet can unlock include: Hair down, fringe back, asymmetric hair down, bun, low pigtails, natural fringe, slanting curtained hair, smooth fringe, low bowlcut, and spiky at front.
15. What Other Services Are On Harv’s Island?
Besides Leif, Harvey’s Island plaza features other shops and services: Reese & Cyrus for furniture customization, Saharah for rugs and wallpaper, Redd for art, Kicks for shoes and accessories, Katrina for fortune telling, and Tortimer for storage access.
By following these steps and understanding these facts, you’ll be well on your way to accessing all that Leif and Harv’s Island have to offer.