Get ready, La Pine: An interesting new taphouse is coming to town

(Updated: adding video, comments from owner)

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Sparks are flying for a new go-to spot in La Pine, with its own unique combination of elements. Located off Highway 97 in downtown La Pine, the Wetlands Taphouse is opening soon.

Kodiak Malmstrom, one of three owners, said Thursday they wanted to take advantage of the view and bring a taphouse to the area.

"We wanted somewhere that families could go, that kids could go, where dogs could run around -- where you could do some athletic things like volleyball, horseshoe, those types of things," he said. "Somewhere the adults, the parents can go and have a beer and their kids can run around and feel completely safe."

Plans for sand volleyball, fire pits, games, and food trucks are in the works, all fenced in for safety. It's expected to have a variety of food, including pizza, chicken, seafood, and ethnic foods. It'll also be a place for live music. Malmstrom says they're reconstructing a farm silo to be a stage.

The Wetlands Taphouse sits on 16 acres, giving the owners wiggle room for more year-round activities.

"It's just a place La Pine has never had," Malmstrom said. "We have Frontier Days, we have the rodeo, we have some really cool things -- Music in the Pines. But they're seasonal, they are event type of organizations."

"This is going to be a 365-type deal," he added.

Central Oregonians love their tap houses, with similar spots all over the region. Malmstrom says they've found ways to make this one unique.

"What we did is pulled the best out of each one of them," he said. "I don't know another food lot in the country that has what we have as far as this setting and this view."

Construction began in March and they expect to be open in August.