Five years ago, Lisa Munz didn’t know what Mahjong was, and today she has a flourishing business designing custom tiles and game sets, and has opened the only dedicated Mahjong parlor in Oklahoma.
Back in 2022, she began seeing Mahjong items come up more often in her retail business explorations. After asking her friends if they knew anything about the game, her husband overheard and told her that many of his Jewish relatives grew up playing it when he was a child in New York.
Munz was captivated. She took a Mahjong class in Dallas and shared what she had learned with friends. They began playing together, and Munz began creating her own designs for custom, bespoke tiles. Bam! Let’s Mahjong was born in 2024, creating engraved and hand-painted Mahjong tile sets and accessories.
Mahjong was developed around the mid-19th century. It evolved from older Chinese games, with the clacking of tiles resembling sparrows’ chatter. The four-person game involves 144 tiles. Munz said games can last about 15 minutes for experienced players, though beginners may take longer. Players use a yearly card issued by the National Mahjong League to form winning tile patterns, which Munz said adds strategy and keeps the game evolving. She added, “It has many rules that you need to understand, but once you grasp that, you can do it. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”
This June, Munz opened The Mahjong Parlor at Spring Creek in Edmond, offering lessons, open play, league play, private events and fundraisers. “It’s a place where people can come and play games. We aren’t open all the time; I advise people to check the website for times available under Events. We have so many fun things happening and I hope people will check us out!”
When asked about the surging popularity of the game, Munz said, “Women are wanting to connect with others in person in this digital world. They want to put their phones down and connect face-to-face. I wanted to create a place where it was all about Mahjong and connection. It’s been wonderful to watch complete strangers sitting at these tables and becoming friends. Watching people laughing, taking pictures and exchanging phone numbers—that is why I created this space.
“We are starting to have men come in too. We have a two-person version of the game that is fun to play. We have couples come in on date night. We have a Nantucket tile set that appeals to men. We also have lots of students interested in Mahjong, from elementary on up, and many schools are starting Mahjong clubs. The game appeals to all ages and to all genders.”
Munz encourages those who are interested to check out her website and Instagram profiles. “We did a Christmas in July Mahjong party—tickets to that event sold out in hours. We are hosting a Halloween Mahjong party. That sold out within a day. Even though I can’t sit at every table across the United States, I love that my tiles are there. We are in so many retail shops across the United States and I’m so thrilled to get our name out there. I hope everyone will check us out and come in and play a game with us soon!”
For more events and information, or to reserve a ticket visit events at bamletsmahjong.com.
Contact: @bamletsmahjong | @themahjongparlorclub
