- Mahjong is becoming Utah's latest girls' night trend, replacing bunco and book clubs.
- The Mahjong Hive community offers classes and open play nights for beginners.
- High-end mahjong sets are popular, with some costing $600 to $700 each.
SALT LAKE CITY — It's not bunco. And it's not book club. It's the newest "girls' night" trend sweeping through Utah neighborhoods, called mahjong.
The American version of a classic Chinese game is quickly gaining traction, bringing groups of women together over the sound of clacking tiles and excited calls of "mahjong!"
We met a group of women who love the game so much, they now teach others how to play. Jolene Young, Tara Hale, Jackie Witherspoon and Megan Shaw make up the Mahjong Hive. They're quickly building an entire mahjong community.
Hale said the idea started simply.
"We wanted to play bunco, and we couldn't get a group together. And then I had seen lots of stuff about mahjong," she said.
After just two hours on YouTube watching and learning, they were hooked. Shaw called it a game "that you can't get sick of."
Some even describe it as addictive, but for many, the biggest draw is the social connection.
"(My favorite part is) meeting people and getting different groups together that I normally wouldn't be able to meet or to learn more about," Shaw said.
Mahjong Hive now offers open play nights, as well as Mahjong 101 and 102 classes for beginners.
Hale said the learning curve can be steep at first.
"In 101 it's almost like you're looking at a foreign language, and you're just like, 'What's happening?'" she said. "But when you come to 102, you kind of have a better understanding of what's going on with the game, and things kind of click."
Jena Hendry took both classes.
"I knew nothing going in. Absolutely nothing. And when I walked in, I was like, 'Oh, this is something new and pretty,'" Hendry said.
Even after learning the basics, she admitted she was completely lost but she kept coming back because she liked the challenge.
Getting started isn't exactly cheap. Mahjong Hive members joke, "What's our motto? Buy nice or buy twice, right?"
Beginner sets can cost around $150, but many players are spending far more.
Kari Baltz, of The Dainty Pear Co., a boutique that began carrying high-end mahjong pieces in January, said demand has been strong.
"We've had to do reorders," she said. "It's just something that's catching on here."
Some sets sell for $600 to $700. Baltz said the higher price reflects the quality.
"Our sets are different because they are higher end," Baltz said. "It is a commitment, but they are more solid. They're not flimsy, and these tiles are really for pushing and shuffling."
As Mahjong's popularity grows, so does demand. In just the past two years, the number of players has surged, and an online search shows dozens of instructors in Utah, more than in almost any other state.
But for most players, mahjong isn't about competition. It's about connection.
"(It's about) learning a game but also connecting with your community, taking the time to slow down," Baltz said.
And according to Hale, that's exactly why it's resonating with so many people.
"There's something about mahjong that's for everybody," she said.
