I'm curious if we can get a bit of info regarding sign shops for 1.9. Are they the same as they were in 1.8, where you had have it in a towny plot set for shops? What kind of syntax do we need our signs to be?

If we need a towny plot to do a sign shop, can the server host a town that is nothing but a shop that everyone can build in to set up their shops? Or are we going to have to host these in our own towns?

1) The new plugin, because SignShop is no longer being developed, is ChestShop for iConomy Recreation. That page indicates how to create signs for selling and buying. The second line of the sign is the quantity of item per transaction, the third line is how much to buy and/or sell it for, and the fourth line is the item name.
2) I didn't really want this to be the case, but this plugin requires that signs be adjacent to the chests that contain the item for sale, that is, below, on top, or on the side of.
3) Shops can go anywhere, even outside of towns. You probably want to put shops in town and cover the chests so people can't just steal the bought/sold items.

Thought it would be nice to update for those wanting a faster access to making a sign shop:

Format for the sign is:

Player name
Item amount
B Price:S Price
Item code

To find the item code, put it into your hotbar, make sure it's in your right hand, the type /iteminfo.

B Price:S Price

This means User buys from you : User sells to you. You can use one or the other, or both on the same sign.

Hopefully this tidbit helps people that is wanting to set up sign shops on our server!