Empire Martial Arts Studio

Empire Martial Arts Studio was opened in 2017 and is located in the heart of Smithtown, at 85 West Main St.

Scott Birke, co-owner of the studio along with Brian Amato, holds a 3rd
degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo. Scott is also a civil engineer for the City of New York. Brian holds a 2nd
degree black belt and is also an instructor at the studio. Scott and Brian have known each other for roughly 12 years and were co-instructors at another MMA studio before deciding to open Empire.

Empire Martial Arts instructs students in the disciplines of Shaolin Kempo, Jiujitsu and Kung fu. The age range is 3-18 and classes are broken down by school grades; k-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. About 20 percent of the students have special needs, including autism, downs syndrome and ADHD. Scott and Brian are particularly proud of their work with these students.

The school’s mission, according to Scott, is to “provide a friendly and supportive environment where students can learn self-defense skills and respect, while gaining confidence and self-control.” Parents and caregivers are encouraged to observe the classes, which are conducted late afternoons, evenings and Saturdays.

While discussing the Covid-19 pandemic, Scott explained they were forced to close for nearly eight months under CDC and NYS guidelines. This was particularly difficult since the school was relatively new. They met the challenge by conducting classes virtually until they were able to re-open. They are now back to approximately 75 percent in person learning.

For an introductory monthly price of $49.99, new students receive unlimited group classes, four private lessons and a uniform. More information on Empire Martial Arts Studio is available at EmpireMA.com.