Well, what do you know! An outfit called the Randy Rooster is in escrow to purchase the former bank turned retail space on the prominent corner of Castro and Market, adjacent to Harvey Milk Plaza. The space has been dark and up for grabs for over a month, and back in January there was that rumor that Apple was considering it for a new Apple store in the 'hood — something they're still considering elsewhere, as far as we know.

The backers of the Randy Rooster are currently doing some outreach within the community, but we've so far been unable to figure out exactly who they are. (They're not to be confused with this L.A.-based clothing company of the same name.) They have, however, launched a website, and they're seeking investors for what they promise will be an ethical business that contributes to "the greater good."

Also, they'll be serving food. The only details they offer so far are that the place will feature "the highest quality entertainment, locally sourced fine dining, elegant alcoholic beverages, and stimulating music."

We're curious whether Supervisor Scott Wiener, who cares not for nudity in the public plaza across the street, will welcome a business that specializes in g-strings and pelvic thrusts. We've reached out for comment, and will alert you if we hear back.

Needless to say, members of the local merchants' and neighborhood associations, with whom SFist spoke, are already sharpening their rainbow-painted pitchforks. That's not to say that everyone is going to object to a strip club in the area — though there are certain to be a number of people who will, and those who might see it as bringing down property values — but as one source tells us, the toughest thing will be pulling off a change of use for the building, which the neighborhood tends not to look kindly on. We await the latest from the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association newsletter, which should be suitably pearl-clutching.

The Planning Commission did, however, lift a decades-old moratorium on such changes of use in the Castro in 2010. And we'd argue that retail, especially of the scale needed to fill a space that large, does not fare so well in the neighborhood these days. And that space would make an amazing restaurant or club.

Whether it becomes the Randy Rooster, only time will tell. We welcome any updates or opinions on this matter in the comments.

Update: Scott Wiener says he has no position for or against the project, and he adds, ""The owners came to see me a few months ago to talk about opening this kind of venue in the Castro, and I suggested that they do outreach to the community. I then recently learned that they purchased the Diesel building. I'm very interested to know what folks in the community think about the proposal."

Previously: Rumor Mill: New Apple Store Coming To Market & Castro Streets