First stores opening at Sunset Harbour parking garage; construction inside old Joe Allen space

Sunset Clothing Co. owner Juan Plasencia in his new store.

We walked around the neighborhood Saturday and discovered the first stores open at the new parking garage at Sunset Harbour — and construction workers at recently closed Georgia’s Union restaurant, in the old Joe Allen space.

The Sunset Clothing Co. is owned and run by Juan Plasencia, who ran Post Blue Jean Co. on Lincoln Road for more than a decade.

Plasencia, who lives in the neighborhood (down the street, near the corner of Purdy and 17th Street), opened the store at 1895 Purdy Ave. on Friday.

Plasencia made the move from Lincoln Road because rent simply became too high for a boutique retailer competing with the huge chains. Post had a terrific reputation.

Here’s what Yelp’s Maria Argüello wrote about Post a couple years back:

With close to a dozen different denim labels, tees, and even Diesel footware, this store is what American Apparel should have been, a symbol of American purpose and quality. It just doesn’t get more American than jeans and T-shirts.

Plasencia says he’s eager to cater to a neighborhood clientele.

We saw other signs of life in the Sunset shops. Frankie’s Boutique, next door to Sunset Clothing Co., had display cases of sunglasses and jewelry and racks of clothes visible in the windows, so opening seems imminent.

And construction crews worked feverishly Saturday at Panther Coffee, Tequitzlan Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, and True Loaf Bakery. But from appearances, they still had a lot of work to do.

Interior of Georgia’s Union.

Meanwhile, at the old Joe Allen space, which housed Morgan’s and Georgia’s Union during the last two years, construction crews were working as well. No word on what is next for that space, but renovation is underway — again.

A shame about Georgia’s Union, which closed in early October after a run of less than four months.