By SHALWAH EVANS at Mission Loc@l

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Urban Burger offers the Big Kahuna, which comes with grilled pineapples, Swiss cheese, grilled onions, lettuce and teriyaki glaze–all on a mound of cooked beef of course.    It’s just one of the specialty burgers offered on the menu of the Mission District eatery that recently went from soon to be to opened to operating.

The restaurant is one of more than a half dozen empty storefronts that have changed status since April when Mission Loc@l last looked behind the vacancies along the Valencia Street corridor.

Abe, who said he owns Urban Burger, but declined to give his full name said that the restaurant is doing well considering the current economic crisis.  Decorated with graffiti art and quotes like “We Grill You Chill,” and “Nice Buns,” along the walls, the place opened in May and buzzes with a variety of customers.  The owner said that the weekends are even busier than the weekdays.

“It’s been a good start, thinking about the way the economy is right now,” he said.

Other new openings include Xanath, an ice cream store, Mission Bikes and Casa Bonampak–a store that sells clothes, and folk art among other things with Latin American roots. In all, the number of available storefronts has dropped to seven from 13.

Abe from Urban Burger said he’s in the process of getting a beer and wine permit.  His biggest complaint: the nearby vacancies that are eyesores.

Three vacant stories—the Charles Phan promise—are across the street.  Mission Loc@l pursued Phan at Slanted Door for an update on his Mission property, but after promising e-mails from his wife and business partner, Phan never returned phone calls.

Since he left the Mission in 2002, he’s opened up places in SOMA , The Ferry building and another Out the Door in Pacific Heights.  His business partner Lien Ho said that while the Phans still own the property on Valencia Street, it would be a while before they moved forward with any plans.

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