Editor's note: Castro blogger Raymond Flournoy is guest-writing Business Briefs while columnist Katharine Holland is taking some time off.

The space under The Cafe has been home to Khun Phoa II, Crave, and the recently-closed Malacca, but San Francisco residents Brett and Nathan Niebergall are hoping that the fourth time's the charm as they renovate the site for their new restaurant, Frisee (2367 Market Street).

The brothers describe the new eatery as "accessible, affordable, healthy food," a concept that they refined through months of market research and on-the-street interviews. Frisee's menu is centered on salads, featuring organic ingredients wherever possible and promoting items from renewable, ecologically-friendly sources. It will offer many choices for vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike. 

Brett Niebergall lives in the neighborhood, and although the two considered locations throughout the city, the Castro was always their first choice. They are encouraged by the strong support they have received from area businesses and the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro .

Frisee's opening has been delayed slightly by renovation issues, but they are currently looking to toss their first salad in early September.

Manilla sky

Another addition to the local restaurant scene is Archie Palencia's eponymous Palencia (3870 17th Street), opening at the corner of 17th and Pond where Tita's Hawaiian restaurant used to be. The cuisine is described by executive chef Danelle Valenzuela as "light, bright, contemporary Filipino" with all dishes served family-style in a Spanish-colonial decor.

Manager Phil Voisseau reports that the restaurant will begin service at 2 p.m. each day with marienda, an afternoon snack of tapas-like dishes, and dinner service will begin at 5 lasting until 10:30. Entrees will range from $8 to $16 and the menu will feature only Spanish wines and a full range of Filipino desserts. Palencia is also proud to serve San Miguel, a popular Filipino beer.

Construction is in its final stages, and they are currently looking forward to an August 21 opening.

Welcome to Brandy Ho's

Coming soon to 4068 18th Street is the second location for Brandy Ho's, the stylish Hunan Chinese restaurant in North Beach. The site has been under construction for months and a tour with co-owner Jimmy Lam reveals why: The entire space was gutted with walls moved, ceilings raised, and a completely new kitchen. The redesigned space is inspired by the inside of a wine barrel, with long wood slats along the wall, curving up onto the ceiling as well. The total budget for the remodel? Just short of $1 million.

The restaurant will keep the same menu and pricing as the original Brandy Ho's, serving from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with take-out service as well. The chefs stress freshness, with no MSG used in any of the dishes. An additional draw for the restaurant is that it will be serving Blue Bottle Coffee from the Hayes-valley roaster with the cult-like following. Brandy Ho's chose the Castro location to expand its take-out coverage of the city and also because it perceived a lack of high-end Chinese restaurants in the area.

The restaurant will introduce itself to the neighborhood by catering Margaret Cho 's upcoming visit to the Castro Theatre on August 17. The restaurant itself with begin delivery service in September and open its new dining room soon after.

Charity Space

Under One Roof has once again taken over the former Tower Records (2278 Market Street) for one of its special sales. Dubbed "The Greatest Sale on Earth," the circus-themed summer sale event will feature a wide variety of new merchandise, ranging from gifts and home decor to food and beverages, all at substantial savings from normal retail prices. The shelves are being stocked by donations from the San Francisco International Gift Show and the doors will open for bargain hunters on August 9-12 and 16-19. Sale times are from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Isn't this the year you finally get your holiday shopping done early?

And if you are looking for ways to work off some bad karma, how about volunteering? Under One Roof is looking for help during the sale and year-round at the regular store at 549 Castro Street. With 100 percent of its net proceeds going to area AIDS service organizations, Under One Roof is one business that literally gives back to the community. For details on volunteering contact Deana Hemrich at mailto:deana@underoneroof.org or (415) 503-2300 x309.

From hyper-masculine to Femina Potens

When Image Leather announced its closing back in February, some Castro residents worried that the loss of this locally-owned business serving the LGBT community was another step toward the homogenization of the Castro. Happily, this high-profile space at the corner of Market and Sanchez is going to be the new home of Femina Potens (2199 Market Street), an art gallery that describes itself as "dedicated to the advancement of women and transgender artists."

Femina Potens' first exhibit on August 18 will feature a science-fiction theme pondering gender identity, followed by the show "Daddies and Dykes" on September 28, timed to coincide with the Folsom Street Fair. Explains founder and director Tina Butcher, "We will be paying homage to our gallery's previous occupants of 25 years, Image Leather, by featuring women and trans artists eroticizing leather men."

For more information, visit www.feminapotens.com.

Check out Raymond Flournoy's Castro Shopper blog at http://www.castroshopper.vox.com.