The Missy Mahjong Nashville Social Club

When I moved to Nashville in 2024, I knew three people. In my mid 40s, I was moving to a new place and had to make new friends and a new life. Some of it sounded exciting, but most of it sounded overwhelming.

The Missy Mahjong social club started organically, with a few players gathering at Sports and Social at the Green Hills Mall each week for some friendly mahjong games. I was an instructor, but I wasn’t selling lessons. I didn’t have an agenda. I just wanted to play the tile game I loved and meet some like-minded people in Music City. I was craving connection.

We just wrapped the first full year with the Nashville mahjong social club. I couldn’t be prouder of what this club became since its beginnings. It was never a “me” thing; it was always a “we” thing.

In 2025, we raised thousands of dollars for local charities, taught hundreds of new players, launched several teachers’ own businesses, hosted out of town mahjong enthusiasts and played at incredible venues all over Music City. The biggest accomplishment of the Missy Mahjong social club was establishing Nashville’s friendliest mahjong community.

The last event of 2025 coincided with my birthday. Our generous hosts at Sports and Social provided light bites and fully decorated the space. I love any chance for an “Oprah moment” so I had some giveaways for players. We had cake and toasted to our amazing community.

It was so emotional for me that night. I was not expecting anyone to really celebrate me, but they did. I received so many incredible gifts, from handmade custom needlepoint canvases to my own mahjong koozies and artwork to an experience gift at one of my favorite places in Nashville. One of the players gave me a little bag of goodies to tie my stitch and mahj hobbies all together, with a heartfelt card to go with it. The cards and messages and wishes meant so much to me. I am still teary thinking about all the love I received that night.

Reflecting on this group that we built, the best achievement was the connection. If you look at our Instagram messages to each other, it often sounds like a cheesy love fest. We are all encouraging each other and celebrating wins at the table and in life. I’m the first to say Instagram is fake, but this support is real. Our Nashville mahjong group has something special.

We have had a few complaints about our group being too chatty or that we aren’t serious players. We brushed off those comments and know that even if our group isn’t what they were looking for, we will always welcome them at our table if they want a friendly game.

Personally, I have had challenges as Missy Mahjong. My goals were always the same: build community and raise money for local charities. I have been copied, imitated, extorted, intimidated and ridiculed online and in person. Those continue and, although painful, I can zoom out and realize I had this incredible group of players supporting me along the way. This was so much more than a game to us. We built a mahjong family.

We will continue to grow this Nashville mahjong group in 2026. We have our open play nights, lessons and retreats planned. True to our mission, we will find some philanthropic causes to support along the way. I hope that if you find yourself in Nashville, you will pop in to join us for a game.