A new massage parlor opened on Madison Street in early June, with an official grand opening set for August.
Inductor of Healing Wellness Center, 7435 Madison St., offers clinical massages, yoga, lymphatic drainage and more.
“I am focused on range of motion. I also focus on releasing tension. Within a couple days, regardless of what type of pain, I can release tension within a couple sessions. I listen and I cater services to what clients are trying to do,” said owner Malike Ayouba, who is a licensed massage therapist.
Ayouba, of Chicago, arrived in the U.S. in 2004 from Togo in West Africa. He said he first arrived in New York for education and eventually moved to Illinois for school. He briefly attended South Suburban College in south suburban South Holland, where he pursued a major in biochemistry, and then Purdue University in Indiana.
“But it did not work out because I have to take care of my siblings; I need to work. Since we lost our parents I gotta make sure that they were going to school too,” Ayouba said. “That’s why I stopped. I need[ed] to do something to bring in money real quick and that’s how I got into trade school.”
Ayouba stopped attending school to care for his nine siblings, who went on to become doctors and accountants. He started working as a medical assistant at a chiropractor’s office and fell in love with the practice.
Three years ago, he opened his own space in Oak Park—at 6955 W. North Ave.—where he only had room to offer clients massages. He was also operating an additional, Inductor of Healing space in Chicago. About six months ago, Ayouba realized he needed a larger office space to fulfill his dream of opening a holistic wellness center, and fell in love with the site on Madison Street.
“All my life when I was going to school, my education was high in biology, human anatomy and everything in science,” he said. “So I have been always fascinated by science and so that’s why I’m more into clinical massage.”
Prior to opening in June, Ayouba planned to be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and be closed Sunday. He said a regular massage session costs $125 for one hour, but that individual prices vary.
