Press & Media Kit

A World Champion Built
This Gym for Everyone

Empire Gym is a locally owned, veteran-operated strength gym in Rincon, Georgia, open 24/7. Here are the facts, bios, story angles and logos you need to cover it.

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5.0★

343 Google Reviews

2024

Best Weight Loss Center · Best of Effingham

24/7

Open Every Day

01 · About Empire

A Strength Gym for the Coastal Empire

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Empire Gym is a 24/7 strength gym at 614 Towne Park Loop in Rincon, Georgia, in Effingham County. It is locally owned, veteran operated and women-owned.

Owners Mary Rae Cain and Jamie Cain opened Empire in late 2022. It is their third gym: Mary opened Body Evolution in Macon in 2007, and the couple opened Body Evolution Columbus in 2013.

Members get the 24/7 gym floor, personal training, coached group classes (Bootcamp, Stretch & Mobility and Strongman), FitKids, the Power Club, an infrared sauna, InBody scans and a 1,900 sq ft outdoor arena. CrossFit Resolute, a 1,800 sq ft CrossFit area inside the gym, holds its grand opening on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

Readers of Effingham Magazine named Empire the Best Weight Loss Center in Best of Effingham 2024. Its core values: knowledge, enthusiasm, kindness, discipline and faith.

Empire Gym members together after a group class

02 · Owners & Coaches

Meet Mary & Jamie

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Owner & Head Coach

Mary Rae Cain

Mary owns Empire Gym with her husband, Jamie, and coaches on its floor. She has trained clients for more than 18 years and opened her first gym in Macon in 2007 while working full time at a hospital. Originally from Holden, Missouri, she was a feature twirler on scholarship at Kansas State and began bodybuilding at 24.

She won the 2015 NPC USA Championships overall and her IFBB Pro card, the 2016 and 2017 United States Strongman Pro Women’s World Championships (heavyweight), silver at the 2018 World Mas-Wrestling Championships and the 2019 Arnold International Mas-Wrestling title. She holds CF-L1 and KidsFit certifications.

“I love people! I enjoy helping people transform their bodies.”

Effingham Magazine, 2022

Owner · U.S. Army Veteran

Jamie Cain

Jamie co-owns Empire Gym. He served 13 years on active duty in the U.S. Army, plus time in the Reserve. He and Mary opened Body Evolution Columbus together in 2013, then opened Empire Gym in Rincon in late 2022.

Empire is locally owned and veteran operated. Its Heroes Basic membership gives military members, firefighters, first responders, teachers and students a lower monthly rate.

High-resolution portraits of Mary and Jamie are available on request from empire-press@signalnstory.com.

03 · Boilerplate

Three Lengths, Ready to Paste

Approved copy for releases, speaker introductions, podcast bios and partner decks. Tap a card’s button to copy it.

Short · 1 sentence 36 words

Empire Gym is a locally owned, veteran-operated strength gym in Rincon, Georgia, open 24/7 and run by Mary Rae Cain, a two-time United States Strongman Pro Women's World Champion, and Jamie Cain, a U.S. Army veteran.

Medium · 1 paragraph 97 words

Empire Gym is a locally owned, veteran-operated and women-owned gym in Rincon, Georgia, open to members 24 hours a day. Owners Mary Rae Cain and Jamie Cain opened Empire in late 2022, their third gym since Mary opened her first in Macon in 2007. Mary won the 2015 NPC USA Championships overall, earning her IFBB Pro card, and was the 2016 and 2017 United States Strongman Pro Women's World Champion. Jamie served 13 years on active duty in the U.S. Army. Readers of Effingham Magazine named Empire the Best Weight Loss Center in Best of Effingham 2024.

Long · Full release 239 words

Empire Gym is a locally owned, veteran-operated and women-owned strength gym at 614 Towne Park Loop in Rincon, Georgia, open to members 24 hours a day, every day. Owners Mary Rae Cain and Jamie Cain opened Empire in late 2022 in a building their family built that year. It is their third gym: Mary opened Body Evolution in Macon in 2007 while working full time at a hospital, and the couple opened Body Evolution Columbus in 2013. Mary has coached clients for more than 18 years. She won the 2015 NPC USA Championships overall and her IFBB Pro card, the 2016 and 2017 United States Strongman Pro Women's World Championships (heavyweight), silver at the 2018 World Mas-Wrestling Championships and the 2019 Arnold International Mas-Wrestling title. Jamie served 13 years on active duty in the U.S. Army, plus time in the Reserve. Members train on a 24/7 gym floor with personal training, coached group classes (Bootcamp, Stretch & Mobility and Strongman), FitKids, the Power Club, an infrared sauna, InBody scans and a 1,900 sq ft outdoor arena. CrossFit Resolute, a 1,800 sq ft CrossFit area inside the gym, holds its grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. Readers of Effingham Magazine named Empire the Best Weight Loss Center in Best of Effingham 2024, and the gym holds a 5.0-star Google rating from 343 reviews. Empire's core values are knowledge, enthusiasm, kindness, discipline and faith. Its tagline: His Kingdom, Your Empire.

04 · Fact Sheet

The Facts

Name: Empire Gym
Address: 614 Towne Park Loop, Rincon, GA 31326 (Effingham County)
Opened: Late 2022
Owners: Mary Rae Cain (Owner & Head Coach) · Jamie Cain (Owner)
Ownership: Locally owned · veteran operated · women-owned
Hours: Open 24/7 for members · staffed Mon to Fri 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Building: 8,035 sq ft gym, built 2022
Outdoor Arena: 1,900 sq ft
CrossFit Area: 1,800 sq ft · CrossFit Resolute, grand opening Sat, Nov 7
Programs: 24/7 gym floor · personal training · Bootcamp · Stretch & Mobility · Strongman · FitKids · Power Club · infrared sauna · InBody scans · CrossFit Resolute
Memberships: Basic $49.99/mo · Total Wellness $124.99/mo · CrossFit Resolute from $114.99/mo · Heroes Basic $44.99/mo
Google Rating: 5.0 ★ · 343 reviews
Recognition: Best Weight Loss Center · Best of Effingham 2024 (Effingham Magazine readers’ choice)
Events: DEKA events · annual Turkey Burn
Core Values: Knowledge · Enthusiasm · Kindness · Discipline · Faith
Tagline: His Kingdom, Your Empire
Web: joinempiregym.com

05 · Pitch Angles

Six Stories Worth Telling

For journalists, editors and podcast hosts. Every angle is on the record. Contact Signal & Story to set up an interview.

The Champion Next Door

Mary Rae Cain is a two-time United States Strongman Pro Women’s World Champion (2016 and 2017, heavyweight) and an IFBB Pro. Today she is a personal trainer at her own gym in Rincon, where some members had never set foot in a gym before. A profile of an elite strength athlete who coaches beginners.

Local News · Sports · Women’s Health Profile · 800 to 1,200 words

Effingham’s Exercise Gap

County Health Rankings 2025 put access to exercise opportunities at 58.1% in Effingham County, against 89.3% next door in Chatham and 74.6% across Georgia. The county has grown 14.8% since 2020. A data story on where a fast-growing county goes to work out, with a local gym owner on the record.

Local News · Health · Data News feature · 600 to 900 words

Strong on GLP-1

A service piece for readers on GLP-1 medicines: how to keep muscle while the scale drops, from the coach at the gym Effingham Magazine readers named Best Weight Loss Center in 2024. Mary has said, “I think that 85% of the transformation occurs with food.”

Health · Wellness · Service Expert Q&A · Service piece

The Army Fitness Test Now Opens With a Deadlift

The Army Fitness Test replaced the ACFT in 2025, and its first event is a three-repetition maximum deadlift. Since Jan. 1, 2026, active-duty soldiers in 21 combat jobs need at least 60 points per event and 350 overall. In Effingham County, 12.4% of adults are veterans, twice the national rate. A strength gym owned by an Army veteran explains how to train for it.

Military · Local News · Fitness Explainer · How-to

CrossFit Resolute Opens Nov. 7

Empire Gym opens CrossFit Resolute, its 1,800 sq ft CrossFit area, with a grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Free CrossFit workouts are open to the public at 8 and 9 a.m., alongside local vendor tables.

Local News · Events · Calendar Event listing · Photo op

Three Gyms Since 2007

Mary opened her first gym in Macon in 2007 while working full time at a hospital. She and Jamie, an Army veteran, opened a second in Columbus in 2013, then built Empire Gym in Rincon and opened it in late 2022. A small-business story about a husband-and-wife team on their third gym.

Business · Veterans · Small Business Profile · 1,000 words

06 · 90-Day Event Radar

The Next 90 Days

What is on Empire’s calendar through January 2027. A date we have not confirmed says TBA.

Nov7

CrossFit Resolute Grand OpeningSaturday, November 7, 8:00 to 10:30 AM · Empire Gym, Rincon

Free public CrossFit workouts at 8 and 9 a.m. · local vendor tables

Confirmed

NovTBA

Turkey BurnAnnual, Thanksgiving week · Empire Gym, Rincon

Holiday workout · community photo op

Date TBA

Nov to JanTBA

DEKA Events at EmpireEmpire hosts DEKA events; see deka.fit for current dates · Empire Gym, Rincon

Race-day photos · first-timer and athlete stories

See deka.fit

JanTBA

January ChallengeNew-year member challenge, details TBA · Empire Gym, Rincon

Start-of-year story · beginner angle

Date TBA

07 · Awards & Accolades

Titles and Honors

The gym’s recognition first, then Mary’s competition record. Each one is checked against the published results.

2024

Best Weight Loss Center

Best of Effingham · Effingham Magazine readers’ choice

5.0

★ Google Rating

343 Google reviews

2016 & 2017

USS Pro Women’s World Champion

Mary Rae Cain · United States Strongman, heavyweight

2015

NPC USA Overall Champion

Mary Rae Cain · earned her IFBB Pro card

2019

Arnold International Mas-Wrestling Champion

Mary Rae Cain · women 70+ kg

2018

World Mas-Wrestling Championships, Silver

Mary Rae Cain · IMWF, women 85 kg

2011

NPC Junior Nationals Heavyweight Champion

Mary Rae Cain · bodybuilding

2010

APC National Powerlifting Champion

Mary Rae Cain · competing as Mary Toole

08 · Member Voices

In Members’ Own Words

Read all reviews on Google →

★★★★★

“Coming from someone that never went to a gym and was intimidated because I knew nothing about working out. The staff explained everything I needed to know and I feel more comfortable around all the equipment. Also Mary is a kick ass personal trainer. She not only explains how to do everything correctly she explains why you are doing.”

Scott Thompson · Google review

★★★★★

“I’ve written off gym-life for years (ok decades lol)… Empire Gym is absolutely amazing! Truly a game-changer! … it’s welcoming and positive the moment you step inside… waaaay better feeling than going to the Y!!!”

Marie Vazquez · Google review

09 · Press Releases

News Releases

Coming soon Empire Gym Opens CrossFit Resolute With a Free Public Grand Opening on Nov. 7 Free CrossFit workouts at 8 and 9 a.m., local vendor tables and a first look at the 1,800 sq ft CrossFit area inside Empire Gym in Rincon.

10 · As Seen In

Past Coverage

Gym Insight “What Does it Take to Run and Sell a Successful Gym? Let’s Chat with Two Gym Owners Who’ve Done Both.” Industry blog · InterviewApr 11, 2025 CanvasRebel “Meet Mary Cain” InterviewNov 7, 2022 Effingham Magazine “There’s a New Power Couple in Town” FeatureOct 10, 2022 Effingham Magazine “Couple Builds a Fitness Empire for Rincon” FeatureAug 3, 2022 United States Strongman “USS HW Pro Women’s Champ, Mary Cain!” Federation newsNov 2, 2016

11 · Brand Asset Downloads

Logos, Ready to Use

Vector and transparent files, straight from Empire’s brand system. Keep clear space around the logo, and never put the gold version on white. Photos of Mary, Jamie and the gym are available on request from empire-press@signalnstory.com.