So I recently started to try and make some extra money after not doing this for 10 years. I request shops I like, and then it disappears and says "contract accepted" but nothing every goes into my active requested shops or assigned shops. What am I missing??

Are you getting emails indicating the assignment has been accepted or denied? Maybe somehow you signed the MSP‘s contract but you never actually requested the assignment.

I would try going back and first accepting the MSP contract. One of the tiles on the home screen has all of the MSP contracts. Then go back and request the shop.