Open since 1983, Henrietta Hens has spent the past 20 years on Big Basin Way in downtown Saratoga. Those 20 years gave Donna Collins plenty of time to dream about expanding, which finally materialized last month when Tiger Tiger, the home décor establishment next door, closed down.

"We wanted to expand to offer more for the customers," says Collins. "We needed more room. It had to be done—we couldn't wait for it any longer."

The store, which sells American folk arts and crafts, went from 900 to 1,500 square feet when walls were knocked down to combine the two stores into one. The work was completed in only 17 days, due to the hard work of a construction crew and several 15-hour days put in by Donna and her two sisters, Shirley Casteel and Fran Post.

"Before the expansion it was as if the walls were coming in on you, like in one of those horror movies," says Collins. "Now it's so big you could run."

The expansion seems to have also pleased the customers, who have commented about the extra space as they come in for the first time since the remodeling. Most appreciate the "elbow room" that they have now.

"The regular customers just love it," says Collins. "We are carrying a lot of new things, and it's so pretty now. It is America in here, and it's from the heart. People need that, especially since Sept. 11."

Since the expansion, Henrietta Hens has wasted no time in stocking its selves with more rows of richly scented candles, ornate décor pieces, and cheerful holiday items. Even the ceiling is covered in handmade braided wooden wreaths.

Most of the goods—95 percent—are American made, something the storeowner takes pride in. "The look is American folk art, and it's that look—the American look—that I love," she says. "People have been coming in here to feel good, whether they are buying something or not."