When Does Kicks Come To Your Island In Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

TL;DR

  • Kicks requires unlocking Able Sisters shop first, then visits randomly once weekly
  • He exclusively sells bags and offers unique footwear not found elsewhere
  • All bags are cosmetic only – they don’t increase your inventory capacity
  • His inventory rotates, making regular visits essential for completionists
  • Optimal spending strategy involves prioritizing rare items over duplicates

Kicks operates as a traveling merchant who establishes a temporary stall within your New Horizons community, specializing exclusively in lower-body fashion accessories. This skunk entrepreneur provides essential style components that complete outfit coordination from the ground up.

As the sole vendor offering backpack accessories throughout the entire game, Kicks fills a crucial market niche. While he shares some product overlap with the Able Sisters regarding socks and shoes, his bag collection remains completely unique to his inventory. Unlike permanent shopkeepers, he maintains a pop-up business model, appearing intermittently rather than operating a fixed location.

Strategic players recognize Kicks’ importance for achieving complete clothing catalog completion. His rotating stock means missing a visit could cost you rare color variants or limited-edition designs. For comprehensive coverage of special visitors and their schedules, consult our complete guide to island merchants and their appearance patterns.

Gaining access to Kicks’ merchandise requires methodical progression through the game’s commercial development tree. The critical gateway involves establishing the Able Sisters permanent clothing boutique on your island first.

The unlocking sequence begins with consistent financial investment during Mabel’s initial pop-up appearances. Most players report triggering the permanent shop construction after spending approximately 5,000 Bells across multiple visits, though this threshold may vary. Beyond mere spending, engaging in repeated dialogue with Mabel accelerates the progression trigger.

Once you’ve met the spending and interaction requirements, Mabel will propose establishing a permanent retail location during her subsequent visit. After selecting and approving the construction site, the building process requires exactly 48 hours to complete. Only after the Able Sisters grand opening will Kicks begin his weekly visitation pattern.

Following the establishment of the clothing boutique, Kicks adopts a predictable yet randomized appearance pattern. He schedules exactly one weekly visit on a randomly selected day, maintaining consistent operating hours from 5:00 AM through 10:00 PM local island time.

His temporary stall consistently materializes in the plaza area directly fronting the Resident Services building. This centralized location ensures easy access regardless of your island’s layout configuration.

Many players mistakenly assume Kicks follows a fixed weekly schedule, but his arrival day changes each week. Strategic planning involves checking the plaza daily if you’re hunting for specific items. His extended 17-hour operational window provides ample shopping flexibility, though evening players should note he departs precisely at 10 PM.

Kicks’ merchandise portfolio encompasses three distinct fashion categories: various footwear styles, sock designs in multiple lengths and patterns, and exclusive bag accessories including messenger styles, crossbody designs, and traditional backpacks.

While the Able Sisters store stocks broader footwear and sock selections, Kicks frequently carries color variants and exclusive designs unavailable elsewhere. This makes his inventory essential for serious fashion collectors aiming for complete catalog completion.

A crucial gameplay clarification: all bag accessories sold by Kicks serve purely aesthetic purposes. Despite their practical appearance, these items provide zero functional inventory expansion. Players seeking actual storage capacity increases should reference our dedicated guide to pocket expansion techniques rather than expecting functional benefits from fashion bags.

Kicks will sell you shoes, socks, and bags like backpacks and purses.

Kicks offers exclusive fashion items that complete your character’s outfit coordination from footwear to accessories.

Advanced collection strategy involves tracking purchased items to avoid duplicate spending. Since his inventory rotates unpredictably, maintaining a personal catalog of acquired items ensures optimal Bell expenditure when he appears with new stock.

Action Checklist

  • Spend 5,000+ Bells at Mabel’s pop-up stall to trigger Able Sisters construction
  • Complete Able Sisters shop construction (48-hour wait)
  • Check plaza daily for Kicks’ random weekly appearance
  • Prioritize bag purchases over footwear since bags are exclusive
  • Maintain purchased item log to avoid duplicate spending

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