After years of searching for just the right location for Dania Furniture, a Scandinavian style store, the owners have opened a store in Bend in the former Bed, Bath and Beyond location at the Cascade Village Shopping Center.

The grand opening on Sept. 19 marks the fourth location of this family-owned chain of modern home furnishings. Other Oregon locations include Portland, Clackamas and Tanasbourne, a neighborhood in Hillsboro.

“We’ve been trying to open a store in Bend for quite some time,” said Michael Nerseth, Dania Furniture regional general manager. “There’s a need for our products. We’ve had a lot of clients from Bend buy from our Portland store. It was inevitable that we would come here. “

When stores decide to add locations, it’s a sign of a strong economy, the right demographics and a market niche, said Katy Brooks, Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO.

“Stores do a lot of research before choosing a new location,”Brooks said. “It’s exciting that Bend is a viable choice for them.”

Dania Furniture got its start in San Rafael, California, but soon expanded to Oregon. The company’s headquarters are now in Boise, Idaho, and there are 40 locations in 15 states. The chain was founded by Erling Eide in 1963, according to the company’s website.

Bend was a natural new location as many homeowners have chosen the community for second and third homes, Nerseth said. The location in Bend is perfect, especially with the expanded Costco opening on Robal Lane.

Dania is hoping that synergy will create a lot of foot traffic. The mall is generally busy, Nerseth said. The store opened unofficially Aug. 16, he said.