The Sector 7 shops are located on the Sector 7 Slums in Midgar. Cloud can visit the shops after his first mission with AVALANCHE either before heading to 7th Heaven or the next morning before embarking on the next mission.
The Sector 7 Weapon Shop is the only location the Iron Bangle is found, so they must be bought prior to the Mako Reactor 5 attack to avoid missing them since the shop becomes unavailable after.
During the time the Turks take over the Sector 7 pillar, there is a man selling items by the fence, but the normal shops cannot be visited.
The Sector 5 shops are scattered around Sector 5 Slum of Midgar. Cloud can visit them after meeting with Aeris and later when returning with Tifa and Barret to visit Aeris's mother. The shops can be revisited on Part II onwards after finding the Key to Sector 5 from Bone Village to return to Midgar, but they will not have any new stock.
Wall Market shops can be visited when Cloud and Aeris visit the place to seek entrance to Don Corneo's mansion, and later when Cloud, Tifa, and Barret want to climb the wall to the upper plate. Wall Market can be revisited on Part II if the party finds the Key to Sector 5 from Bone Village to return to Midgar. At this time, the man in the back of the weapon shop has a new accessory to sell.
The man at the back of the weapon shop sells Batteries when Cloud, Tifa, and Barret visit the shop on their way to climb the wall to the upper plate. If visited from Part II onwards, he will sell a Sneak Glove for 129,000 gil.
Shinra Bldg.[]
The Shinra Building shop can be visited when Cloud, Tifa, and Barret first infiltrate the building to save Aeris. The shop is in the bottom entrance lobby before taking the elevator to the top floors, meaning the party might miss out on the shop if they take the fire exit stairs instead of barging in through the front doors.
When the party returns to Midgar in Part II to stop Professor Hojo's evil plans, they can find their way to the Shinra Building from the train tunnels and visit the shop to open the treasure chests.
Kalm's shops can be visited as soon as the party first leaves Midgar and will be available for the rest of the game. The shops are at the top level at the back of the village.
Chocobo Farm can be visited as soon after the party first leaves Midgar and can be visited any time after. It sells items pertaining to catching and breeding chocobos. On the first visit the party can buy a Chocobo Lure from the farm needed to catch wild chocobos. The shop change stock after the party obtains the Highwind, and the party can rent stables from the farm.
Fort Condor can be visited after the party leaves the Mythril Mine and any time after that. Shops available after agree to help the old man at the table. The shops change stock after the party obtains the Highwind. If the party fails the Huge Materia quest in "Struggle for the Huge Materia", then all shops becomes inaccessible.
Junon shops can be visited any time after Cloud disguises himself as a Shinra soldier. The shops change stock after the party obtains the Highwind, but because of a programming error, one of the Materia shops' stock never changes. The Materia shop is coded like the other shops, but instead of calling for the second version of the shop after the plot advancement, it calls for the original one. The unused shop is unique, as it would have sold Magic Plus, Revive, MP Plus, Barrier, and Exit.
One sailor on board the Cargo Ship is willing to help out the party—for a price. He can heal the party completely for 250 gil, and sells the following items:
Costa del Sol shops can be visited any time after crossing the ocean on the Cargo Ship. Yuffie Kisaragi mans the Materia Shop on the first visit if she has been recruited, but is not currently in Cloud's party. The shops change stock after the party obtains the Highwind.
Gongaga can be visited after obtaining the buggy. After the events in the Temple of the Ancients, the party recuperates in Gongaga, but otherwise visiting here is optional.
Wutai is visitable after obtaining the Tiny Bronco. If the party has recruited Yuffie, the weapon shop will not do business until the "Homecoming of a Miserable Daughter" side quest in the area is completed.
Mideel can be visited after obtaining the Highwind. Before the town's destruction, the player can find a crazed consumer in all the shops (except the accessory shop). Post-destruction, the other shops lose most of their stock, but the previous crazed consumer will sell the party the previously available weapon shop stock at the same price, and after viewing either the Materia store (young girl) or Item store (man) she will also sell offer the item and weapon stock.
Chocobo Sage runs a store that sells chocobo merchandise. His shop could be considered a secret shop as his cottage does not appear on the map. His house can be found in the northern regions of the world after the player acquires the Highwind.