Miller Paint Co., a Portland-based paint-store chain, plans to open its fourth outlet in the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene area next spring, says Steve Dearborn, the company's CEO, who adds that by then the company hopes to identify more potential store locations here.

Miller Paint has leased a 4,600-square-foot retail building at 14115 E. Sprague that formerly was a Dahle's Big & Tall clothing store.

The landlord, Dave Black Properties LLC, of Spokane, recently acquired the property.

"We've signed a 10-year lease," Dearborn says. "Dave Black is going to do some of the interior demolition over the winter."

Black, also CEO of the Spokane commercial real estate brokerage NAI Black, negotiated Miller Paint's lease for the Valley location, Dearborn says.

The exterior of the building will be painted in September or October, and Miller Paint plans to open the outlet there in early March of next year, he says.

Miller Paint, now a 123-year-old company, has grown to 49 stores from 12 stores during the past 12 years, Dearborn says. The company entered the Spokane market in 2010.

"The Spokane area is a good market for us," Dearborn says.

Miller Paint's Spokane stores are located at 7 E. Third, downtown, and at 2501 E. 29th, on the South Hill. Miller Paint also operates an outlet at 245 W. Appleway, in Coeur d'Alene.

Dearborn says Miller Paint is mulling plans for additional stores in the greater Spokane area, and likely will look for potential additional store locations in the first part of next year.

The Valley store will have four or five employees, which is the typical staff size for Miller Paint stores, he says.

A team of four salespeople will handle outside sales for all of the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene area stores.

Altogether, the employee-owned company has 280 employees.

Miller Paint manufactures its paint at a production facility in Portland. The company also carries Kelly-Moore Paint Co. products, having acquired the Washington and Oregon regional sales operations of the San Carlos, Calif.-based company last year.