The Dive to open in June at Shrub Steppe’s old site

Business has been great since Mike and Dashia Hopp opened

Bombing Range Brewing Co. nearly three years ago in north Richland.

The microbrewery and restaurant at 2000 Logston Blvd. has

loyal customers. People who live at nearby Horn Rapids and those commuting to

the Hanford site are a large part of Bombing Range’s clientele.

“We’ve only been open for 2½ years, and it’s far exceeded

our expectations,” Dashia said. “But people are coming out here from Pasco and

east Kennewick. It’s almost a destination place.”

One person who seems to like the establishment is former

Secretary of Defense James Mattis, a retired Marine general. The Richland High

graduate has visited Bombing Range Brewing Co. a number of times.

“He’s awesome,” Dashia said.

That would be enough for most people — a

successful eating and drinking establishment with a dedicated following.

But the West Richland couple aren’t your normal business

people.

Come late June, they’ll open a bar in the same strip mall

location, just at the other end.

It’ll be called The Dive, and believe it or not, it’s been

the big dream of the Hopps, who met each other years ago while both worked at

the old Richland Red Robin on George Washington Way.

“Our original plan was to open a dive bar,” Dashia said.

“Both of us came from the service industry. Then we went in different

directions.”

Dashia started working for a local attorney, while Mike

worked his way up to become the assistant police chief in Grandview.

“But Mike started brewing beer at home, and we changed

directions (again),” Dashia said.

That was around 2015, and they got serious about beer.

“Mike went to some Ice Harbor classes, toured some

breweries. He had some good mentors,” Dashia said.

The Hopps’ beers really took off. So much so that they

decided to find a brick and mortar building, stepping into the old White Bluffs

Brewing location in September 2016 when it moved across the street.

The short time in the Logston building has been an

eye-opener for Dashia.

“This area is still so far behind the times when it comes to

craft beers. Portland, Bend and Seattle are way ahead of us here,” she said.

“But we’re just now starting to gain ground.”

Then about a year ago, Shrub Steppe Smokehouse Brewery —

located on the other side of the building — was getting ready to close.

“They approached us about buying their

equipment,” she said. “We decided we were ready to do it. It’s right here, and

we can offer something to everyone.”

The Hopps bought all of Shrub Steppe’s equipment.

“We’ve been busy trying to get it open,” she said. “It’s set

to open in mid-June. No concrete date. I’ll just turn on an open sign one day

and go from there.”

They’ve also made some changes to the building.

“We put in a couple of garage doors,” she said. “We ripped

out the flooring. We’ll have hard alcohol, wine and beer.”

That’ll include a couple of Bombing Range Brewing beers on

tap, but some outside taps as well.