Shops, also called "Merchants", are located in every town in the world of Hello Kitty Online, starting with Sanrio Harbour. There are also Merchants at every Sunbright express station, most of them similar to the ones on the surface - only the assortments of the Clothes Merchants are a bit different at the stations though.
To take a look at the shops and their offerings back in 2008, please click here: Shops in 2008