For Jody Dorsey and her mother, Bobbie Whitley, opening an antique mall on Market Street in Wilmington means reaching one of the pair's ultimate goals.

“All the steps we have taken with this business have led up to this,” Dorsey said recently as she worked on the new location for Flea Body’s, a store where shoppers can find antique and vintage furniture and décor.

Dorsey and Whitley plan to open Flea Body’s Antique Mall by July 1 at 3405-1 Market St. after leaving their store on Park Avenue, Flea Body’s Vintage & Home Décor, at the end of May.

Eight years ago, the duo started Flea Body’s in 1,000 square feet in North Kerr Industrial Park, growing the business to the point where it has more than 12,000 likes on Facebook. For the new Flea Body’s, they leased 7,300 square feet and will house offerings from 40 vendors.

“The business has grown. The need has grown. People are getting more educated about furniture,” Dorsey said, explaining that many of their shoppers are opting for used furniture rather than paying higher prices for new items.

“It has more character. It has more charm,” Dorsey said. “It’s more one-of-a-kind.”

The new antique mall also includes a paint and repair workshop where customers can bring their pieces to be worked on or painted by Dorsey or Flea Body’s employee Catherine Rhodes, or work on their treasures themselves. Flea Body’s sells three different types of furniture paint – Maison Blanche Vintage Furniture Paint, Fusion Mineral Paint and Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint.

Dorsey said the new Flea Body’s also has classroom space for furniture painting and technique classes as well as crafting classes.

Along with paint, Flea Body’s carries architectural salvage items and a large selection of replacement hardware, including vintage and antique furniture knobs and pulls.

In addition to more shoppers wanting retro items for their homes, demand has increased for vendor space as well, Dorsey said.

“They want a space where they can have a creative outlet,” Whitley explained. “It’s the thrill of the hunt, and the buying and selling is exciting.”

In its previous 3,500-square-foot store, Flea Body’s only had space to rent showcase shelves out to other sellers. The new space allows for showcases and floor spaces.

“Within 10 days of making the announcement [about the antique mall], we were full and we have a waiting list,” Dorsey said of the mall’s vendor lineup.