When George Stills re-opened CKO Kickboxing in Maplewood in late 2023, he wanted to do more than kickboxing and workouts. He wanted to focus on the whole person — mind, body spirit. And on creating a healthier community beyond the gym.
And thus the “House of Healing” was born.
“If you walk in with the stress of life, whether that’s going through depression and anxiety or going through a divorce, we want you to be able to do some healing while you’re here and walk out feeling better,” Stills recently told The Village Green. “For some, this is like therapy.”
George Stills, owner of CKO Kickboxing, in Maplewood, also referred to as The House of Healing. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
Long before he owned a franchise, Stills said, he was involved in CKO Kickboxing, having first become a member in 2008 in West New York, N.J.
“I was really drawn to the energy of the place,” Stills said. He moved to West Orange in 2014 and discovered CKO Maplewood, owned at that time by Tara Connell. Before long, Connell hired Stills as a trainer. After buying the business at 1933 Springfield Avenue from Connell, he said, he “had to put my stamp on it.”
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According to Stills, CKO Maplewood has a diverse community of about 200 members. One of them, Chris Sabin, has been a member since 2015 and has worked out with Stills through the years, always admiring his dedication and consistency.
“I’ve watched George take over a business that was already doing well and elevate it to new heights,” Sabin told The Village Green. “His leadership and vision for CKO have made it not just a gym, but a true ‘House of Healing’ for so many in the community.”
In a video on CKO’s Instagram, Sabin, describes CKO as “a place to just make sure I can release some tension, and not just tension of day-to-day life; it’s therapy. And specifically for Black men we don’t get a chance to talk about therapy, and I appreciate George and everything CKO is doing. … He lets everybody know it’s OK to have some pain, and it’s OK to be able to stress and get it out.”
An image from CKO Maplewood’s Instagram page @ckomaplewood.
Another of Stills’ goals with the House of Healing is also to be an active member of the community, hosting or participating in events that help organizations such as MEND (Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity) and the Community Coalition on Race (CCR) or WILO, which provides housing, recreation and life skills for adults with disabilities. He also started a GoFundMe to raise money for food people facing food insecurity in the community.
Still, CKO Maplewood is also his business, and Stills said he wakes up every morning at 3 a.m. for some quality time and stretching before getting to the gym at 5 a.m. He often doesn’t leave until the last class is over at 8 p.m. There are classes seven days a week, a camp for kids in the summer and CKO is now open for events such as kids’ birthday parties, fundraisers or nights out.
“His 5:45 a.m. classes are unmatched,” Sabin said. “The energy is incredible, and his music is so eclectic. From country to funk, to old-school R&B and everything in between, you never know what you’ll get — but it’s always the perfect vibe. Honestly, he’s quietly a DJ masquerading as an instructor/owner during those sessions.”
CKO Owner George Stills points to a mural created for the House of Healing: “I am obsessed with offering solutions for physical health, mental wellbeing, healing the whole person and being tuned to life’s harmony.” (Photo by Laura Griffin)
A mural on the wall of the children’s play area of the gym, was created from an idea from his 12-year-old daughter and spells out the tenants of the House of Healing: laughter, peace, calm. healing, spirit, energy, strength, radiant health, confidence and focus.
Stills calls his members “‘CKO Warriors,’ because to me, life is a battle every day. It’s not just the people who walk in the door that we’re reaching. When they walk out feeling better, they infect their network with that spirit and make others feel good.”
For Regina McLeod, who said she has been a CKO Warrior for about a year now, this is the first time she has fully committed to going to a gym and exercising regularly.
“I still don’t love exercise, but I love when I’ve done it. George has a way of making you value the exercise and yourself,” McLeod said, describing the CKO community as “family.” “If you’re feeling down when you come in, you’re not going to leave that way.”
George Stills, owner of CKO Kickboxing, Maplewood.
