The group of shops just over the train tracks has been on showcase ever since we got our hands on this concept art from a developer roundtable video, and while details are still sparse, the area appears to hold a lot of promise and depth, even more so than the somewhat lackluster titular city from AC: City Folk. You see, the make up of the shopping mall is not set in stone from the beginning of the game. As Nintendo of Japan's President Satoru Iwata stated in August's Nintendo Direct, part of your mayoral duties is AC 3DS will be choosing which shops are built in the mall!
Now the actual process of how to choose what is built is unknown, but we are aware of a handful of the places that can be built, some of which are stores, while others' functions are not as clear. This post aims to look at what we know is waiting for us across the tracks, and maybe even some shops a little closer to home.
Buildings Confirmed for the Shopping Mall:
Nook Housing
Here we have Tom Nook's new shop, Nook Housing. Shown in the recent scan find below, the shop will indeed be found in the mall, right next to the Post Office(see next building). Here we will be able to buy different themes for the outside of our house, a feature new to AC3DS. It also appears that Lyle will be taking up residence in the shop, and is rumored to be working for the Happy Room Academy.
Post Office
Also visible in the above scan is what appears to be the town post office. We have yet to see the inside of the post office, nor do we know of any new features that it may offer. I find the post office's inclusion here odd, especially since it seems like a building that, like the town hall, we'd expect to see in-village, as opposed to the new shopping center.
General Store
Nook's handed over the keys to the Cranny to Tommy and Timmy in AC3DS! And from what we've seen, its first incarnation will be nearly identical on the inside to what we've seen in previous entries.
Where things start to look a little different is after the shop has been upgraded. As seen in the screenshot below, a larger shop appears to sit just to the right of the path to the HRA Model Homes. We have yet to properly see the inside of this shop in any screens, although some tables with wallpaper can be noticed as the door opens in the August trailer. Another noticeable addition is a new shop built onto the side of the store...
Garden Shop
Now here's what i'm talking about! A brand new store! Appears that the Nook family has given over the floral side of the business to a new character called Lazy the Sloth! We can see seeds and trees on sale, as well as a watering can to the right. Whether Lazy's shop will upsize with the Nook Brothers' is not yet known.
Unconfirmed, But Likely Buildings for the Shopping Mall:
Able Sisters Shop
Another series long staple making the big move across the tracks are the Able Sisters and their clothing store. The inside appears largely similar to previous versions of the store, and although we've yet to see it, there will apparently be an accessory corner in the store. While some may argue that it just seems wrong for this shop to be a part of the mall and not close to home, with the General Store and Post Office now taking up residence in the shopping center, it's a safe bet this one will follow suit.
Police Station
We've known ever since Nintendo Direct August that Copper and Booker would be hanging up their gatekeeper hats and go back to their first love of upholding the law. But now, thanks to recently translated information, we know that we will have two options of Police Station to build, and that your choice dictates which officer is present. At the time of post, all we've seen is Booker's classic "lost and found" layout.
Reset Management Center
Everybody's favorite(?) mole Mr. Resetti is back on the scene doing what he does best, only this time he's bringing the command center home from the big city. The only details we know about the Center is that you can have it built, Resetti and his brother Don will be there, and that Mr. Resetti will actually THANK you after it's built. Wow, finally some respect!
Kicks' Shoe Store
A new store for all your shoe and sock related needs(new needs, since this is their first inclusion in the series!) Kicks and his store seem to fit an oddly specific need, which makes me wonder if this will be one of those "build if you so wish" stores. Maybe the Able Sisters will sell shoes and socks sparingly in their accessory corner, while Kicks has a new selection every day with a lot wider variety. Food for thought, eh?
Confirmed In-Village Buildings
Thrift Store
The new Thrift Store, run by Lisa the Pink Alpaca and an unnamed blue llama, will sell items of furniture for your house, and even change the color and design of it for you! This building is actually one of the only confirmed in-village shops, from a June trailer. Compare the picture from the trailer below with the boxart. The heart door and sign are clearly seen.
Brewster's Coffee Shop
The only other truly confirmed in-village shop is none other than the coffee shop, owned by Brewster. The interesting thing about this shop is given translations, this will be an optional building you can choose to have, but it is built in town. Perhaps we have even more power as mayor than previously thought! We only recently got a picture of the outside of the shop, and we can actually confirm that it is behind the thrift store in that previous trailer snippet. Compare the screen grab with the shop in the top left corner of the scan below, then watch 1:40-1:42 of the trailer.
Unconfirmed, Likely In-Village Buildings
Town Hall
I'm thinking this one's a shoe-in. The base of operations for all your new mayoral duties in the new game! With your new assistant, choose your towns landmarks and hours of operation!
The only solid clue to this one's placement besides a little bit of common sense, is the rather large building seen to the right of the station in front of the train tracks. Of course, this is only developmental art for the game, but it seems to be pretty accurate to what we've seen so far, and the building matches the bill for what i'd expect the town hall to look like.
Museum
Another series staple, the museum will still function as a place to show off your greatest catches and finest finds in the realm of art and archeology. However, there will now be planned exhibitions in addition to your own donations, and a gift shop run by Blather's sister Celeste. No real evidence for village or mall on this one, so I just stuck it here. We'll see I guess.....*cue mysterious music*
There's much we do not know about the various stores and places we'll be building as mayor in Animal Crossing 3DS, but I hope that this has served as a good roundup of all the information we do know already. Feel free to shoot me a message if I forgot something or made an error here. Thanks for DROPPING in! Get it?!?! PUNNY!
Thanks to Bell Tree Forums for scan pics!
SEE YA
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