One of Charlotte’s newest fitness centers is changing how people think about working out.

CKO Kickboxing is a high-intensity hour-long workout designed to combine cardio with strength training in a fun and competitive atmosphere. Once the music starts, trainers guide everyone through a wide array of kicks, punches, elbows, jabs, and various other attacks;

CKO Kickboxing South Charlotte was opened by husband and wife power duo Nicholas and Linda Lancetti. In addition to their passion for fitness, Nicholas is a long time DJ and Linda is a certified health coach – their unique knowledge, experience, and personalities make for a truly powerful workout.

“I’ve been djing for 20 years and I make all the music sets for all of our classes.  Our members have a whole new experience in our classes because of the way my sets are specifically designed to bring the energy to the next level,” Nicholas commented. “Music can change a person and sometimes even motivate them to make a change and I like to take our members on a whole new fitness journey that will benefit them in the long run!”

They also told me that community is a key aspect in their gym – they’re focused on the physical, mental, and social growth of each member.

“Our gym is different because of the way we approach our members. We don’t care for how long they will sign up for, we want them to see real results and make them change their lives for the better,” commented Linda. “Doing this for 7 years now, we realized that every person has a story and making a difference in a person’s life means the world to us! If I can have a positive impact on their life…I’ve done my job.”

You can find out more about what they do or sign up for your first class on their website here and follow them on their Instagram account here.

Goodwill recently opened their newest ‘GW Boutique’ right in the heart of South End (they opened their first location in 2016 on the West Side).

You can now save a ton on designer clothes during your back-to-school shopping and even gear up your child with the latest in new technology in ‘The Grid’ section of the new store.

Goodwill is describing the news store as a “social, engaging and chic” store aimed at young shoppers, offering brands like Kate Spade, Tory Burch and Coach.

“We’re excited to bring the GW brand to South End. With the popularity of the GW store at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, we’ve been searching for the right location to introduce a second boutique store with convenient access for Charlotte shoppers,” said Barbara Maida-Stolle, chief business officer. “This space on South Boulevard is ideal, bringing a bigger GW to fun-loving, trend-embracing South End shoppers who appreciate a good deal.”

Our second GW boutique is now open in Lower South End, at 3609 South Boulevard. Come see what all the fuss is about! #GWLoSo

A post shared by Goodwill Industries SP (@goodwillsp) on Jul 24, 2018 at 11:58am PDT

Have you been to the new GW Boutique yet?

What are your thoughts?

RENTCafé has just released a new report which examines the average rent prices for high-end apartments across the 30 largest US cities.

They found that the national average rent for high-end apartments across the country is around $1,640 per month, and while Charlotte’s average high-end rent is far below the average, it has seen significant price jumps over the past few years.

The report noted that;

• In Charlotte, the average rent for a high-end apartment is $1,247. That is $347 more than what a renter pays on a low-end apartment.
• In the past 3 years, all types of luxury apartments in Charlotte have witnessed increases in rents. The highest one has been recorded for 1-bedroom apartments: 12.80%, rents now clocking in at $1,116.

• The city with the lowest high-end rents is El Paso, with an average of $976. At the other end of the spectrum is Manhattan, where average rents for luxury apartments are no less than $4,416.

You can read the entire study and find out for more about each city here on RentCafe.com