Mahjong is moving into Dallas-Fort Worth homes
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Colorful mahjong game mats and tile sets can double as decor. Photo: Courtesy of Carol McGuire
Mahjong is the latest fixture in North Texas homes, where people are turning underused rooms into dedicated parlors for playing.
Why it matters: Mahjong game nights are on the rise nationwide — up 94% earlier this year compared to last, according to Evite data shared with Axios.
- And 2 in 5 of those gatherings are happening at home, per the digital invite platform.
Catch up quick: The centuries-old Chinese tile game is sweeping the country as younger generations and Southern transplants fuel new growth.
- A staple among Asian families and later beloved by Jewish communities, mahjong has more than 40 variations worldwide — including an American one that started on the East Coast before spreading in recent years to the South and beyond.
Yes, but: Texas' glitzy take on mahjong has its critics, Texas Monthly reports.
- Dallas is now a hub for prominent mahjong companies selling swanky sets that cost hundreds.
- One Dallas-based tile company apologized in 2021 after redesigning traditional Chinese pieces with images critics said erased the game's history.
Zoom in: In Coppell, Marla Williams turned what was once a living and dining space, later used as a billiards room, into a mahjong room.
- It holds a game table, extra seating for spectators and at least one gathering a week.
- "Right when you walk in my house, the first thing you're going to see is my mahj area," Williams tells Axios.
Also in Coppell, Carol McGuire converted her former home office into a mahjong parlor.
- The room includes game mats in every color of the rainbow, local art and thrifted crystal bowls filled with tiles.
- It's where she teaches small groups, films videos for her mahjong social media account, and plays with friends and her young daughters.
In Argyle, Kate Holland designed her newly built home with mahjong in mind, choosing a flex room instead of a formal dining room.
- The space fits three mahjong tables and has throw pillows that say "Dot Crak Bam" (the game's suits) and "Meet me at mahjong." It's become "one of the most-used rooms in our home," Holland says.
- At 26, she's among the game's growing group of young players. She hosts American mahjong lessons and open play.
The intrigue: Mahjong rooms aren't just immediately useful, but can also add resale value, according to Dallas real estate agent Julie Provenzano.