The Mahj Salon

Mahjong Meets Moxie
  • 3.6 (18)
  • Games
  • Weekly

The Mahj Salon is where Mahjong players come for the stories and stay for the opinions. It is a show for people who care how other players shuffle, stack, and score. Hosted by Mahjong Meets Moxie’s Jennifer Hohman and Cathy Herrington, it sounds like the table talk you wish you had recorded. Fast, funny, and frank, each episode digs into pet peeves, tile choices, money at the table, and the growing business of Mahjong. Some topics feel small. Some feel huge. All of them feel like conversations you have after a long night of play.

  1. 4d ago

    Floating Tiles, Men Who Mahj, and Vegas Friendships

    Spools founder Keen Butcher shares how his grandmother inspired lightweight, floating Mahjong tiles and accessible designs. Then Andrew Keeler and Barney join Jenn and Cathy to talk men at the table, tournament friendships, card reviews, and Vegas shopping temptations. Shop Spools: https://spools.com/ Connect with Andrew: https://mahjlife.com/instructor-guild-directory-new/name/andrew-keeler/ Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Spools began with a practical family problem. Keen’s grandmother could no longer carry her heavy Mahjong set, so he created lightweight tiles, then added racks and pushers to make the complete setup easier to transport. 2. Accessibility became a bigger part of the business through customer feedback. Keen discusses Braille tiles, players returning after vision loss, and redesigned dragons that use visual differences beyond color. 3. Producing lightweight tiles still takes substantial work. Spools 3D-prints its tiles in the United States, runs printers around the clock when possible, and inspects every side of each tile before shipping. 4. Keen, Andrew, and Barney all make the case for welcoming more players. Their stories include grandparents playing with grandchildren, volleyball friends learning Mahjong, and men finding their place in a predominantly female American Mahjong community. 5. Multi-day tournaments offer more than concentrated play. Andrew and Barney describe friendships developing over repeated conversations, meeting online friends in person, exploring new places, and handling products before buying them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. 4d ago

    The Women Behind the Mahjong Sets We Love

    Shanda Sloan of Ozark Mah Jongg and artisan Christine Whitman join Jenn and Cathy in Vegas to share the family stories behind Winslow and Wild Child, the work behind custom tiles and racks, and why these sets mean so much. Shop Ozark Mah Jongg: https://www.ozarkmahjongg.com/ Shop Christine Whitman designs: https://christinewhitman.com/ Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Shanda built Ozark Mah Jongg around belonging. Her Fayetteville shop serves as a “third place” beyond home and work, where players can gather, learn, and feel welcome. 2. Winslow began as a set designed for Shanda’s mother, whose bucket-list wish to learn Mahjong gave them two and a half years of playing together. The game continues to connect Shanda with her mother’s memory and with people who care for her. 3. Personal attention runs through Ozark Mah Jongg’s process. Shanda describes checking every tile, inspecting mats, and gift-wrapping sets so buyers feel the care that went into their purchase. 4. Christine Whitman created Wild Child from distinctive buffalo horn as a tribute to her grandmother, Nora Foley McDonald. Jenn connected with that story and bought the set before it could become available in Vegas. 5. Christine’s custom work starts with a conversation about the player. Tile size, materials, markings, artwork, and preferred variations inform the finished set, while her handmade racks and other commissions require patience. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. Nov 3

    When You Don’t Get Invited to the Table

    Jenn and Cathy talk about the awkward side of Mahjong friendships: not getting invited, seeing the photos later, wondering whether you are too slow, too serious, too busy, or simply forgotten. They unpack hurt feelings, communication, advanced play, private games, and the power of starting your own table. Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ See Cathy's mat is from Bird and Bamboo here! See the tiles we talked about here! Key Takeaways 1. Mahjong can bring back old social anxieties when you learn about a game, private group, or advanced session you were not invited to join. 2. Hurt feelings are real, but the reason for an exclusion may be limited space, a different pace of play, assumptions about someone’s availability, or a group seeking a specific style of game. 3. Direct but respectful communication can clear up misunderstandings, reduce resentment, and preserve friendships that might otherwise suffer in silence. 4. Organizers can better serve growing Mahjong communities by offering beginner, intermediate, advanced, and all-level sessions so players can choose the experience that fits them. 5. You do not need an invitation to belong. Find a table that works for you, or create one and invite the people you want to play with. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. Oct 27

    A Mahjong Love Letter to Houston

    Houston native Avery Herring of Herring House joins Jenn and Cathy to talk her new Houston-inspired Mahjong set. From blue herons and Heights street tiles to Houston landmarks, neighborhood pride, licensing headaches, and the challenge of making a city feel like home in 160 tiles. Get on the wait list for Avery's Houston tiles: https://www.herringhouse.co/houston-mahjong The racks we talked about: https://a.co/d/01iAOkHd Avery's mat comes from Oh My Mahjong: https://ohmymahjong.com/ Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Avery Herring created Herring House after searching for a Houston Mahjong set and realizing the city did not have one that captured the details she wanted. 2. The set will feature Houston-inspired designs including blue herons, stars, cattails, Texas wildflowers, Heights mosaic street tiles, neighborhood references, and landmark-themed jokers. 3. Herring House had to balance creative ideas with readability, making sure the tiles feel specific to Houston while remaining easy to identify during play. 4. Licensing restrictions limited some obvious Houston references, especially NASA and other protected local icons, which pushed Avery and Clay to find more original design solutions. 5. Herring House plans to grow beyond tile sets with local hosting gifts, paper goods, and community-focused products designed for Houstonians and anyone with a Houston connection. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. Oct 21

    Meet the King of Mahjong: Dave Moussa’s Vegas Win

    Mahjong champion Dave Moussa and Nancy Dubner join Jenn and Cathy after Vegas to talk 700 points, defensive play, tournament nerves, and the dating requirement that started it all. Plus, East-seat advantages, table manners, and their Half Moon Bay tournaments. Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Dave’s championship run included a rough afternoon, a strong final day, and 700 total points. He focused on steady results rather than letting a bad stretch decide the rest of his tournament. 2. Defense mattered. Dave says he threw an opponent’s winning tile only once, costing him 10 points, compared with past tournaments where those penalties had cost him more than 100. 3. Dave learned Mahjong after Nancy made it a condition of dating her. More consistent play during COVID helped him develop, and tournaments eventually became a regular part of their travel together. 4. The group debates whether a fixed East seat creates an advantage because East players avoid facing one another. They discuss rotating everyone or holding a tournament specifically for Easts and past winners. 5. Nancy and Dave want their Half Moon Bay tournaments to give players a welcoming entry into competition. Their approach combines clear expectations, calling an organizer for disputes, and some grace for inexperienced players. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Oct 20

    The Decades, But Make it Mahjong

    Jamie Shemesh of The Mahj Lounge joins Jenn and Cathy to talk collectible Mahjong sets inspired by iconic decades. From peace signs and lava lamps to poodle skirts, disco dancers, and 80s Art Deco, Jamie shares how nostalgia, design, and careful research turn history into tiles. Connect with Jamie's Mahj Lounge: https://mymahjlounge.com/ Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Jamie’s Play the Past collection turns iconic decades into collectible Mahjong sets, beginning with the bright, bold, and unmistakably groovy 1960s Far Out Edition.  2. The 1960s set includes peace-sign dots, lava-lamp one bams, guitar cracks, flower-power flowers, cool-cat jokers, and textured tile backs designed to feel as memorable as the fronts.  3. Jamie researches each decade carefully, using recognizable cultural details while avoiding designs that would make the tiles difficult to read during an actual game. 4. Copyright and trademark rules shape every set. Familiar images, logos, characters, and phrases may be unavailable without licensing, so original interpretation matters. 5. Upcoming sets include a 1950s collection with records, French fries, and retro diner energy, followed by a 1970s Disco Edition and an 80s set inspired by the era’s Miami-style Art Deco revival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Oct 13

    Can Men Play Mahjong?

    Jenn and Cathy talk about men in Mahjong after a male player was welcomed into an open group, then quietly left out. They discuss women-only games, public play, inclusion, golf-club double standards, and why a seat at the Mahjong table should not depend on gender. Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Tiles we talked about: Lightweight 3D-printed American-theme Mahjong tile set, including a dice holder and dice (https://www.litemahj.com/) Today's mat: Custom leather Mahjong mat embossed with “Moxie” (https://www.circlepleather.com/collections/mahjong-mats-accessories) Key Takeaways 1. More men are joining American Mahjong because the game offers strategy, competition, bluffing, social connection, and a lot more than the old stereotype of a ladies’ game. 2. Private groups can set their own boundaries, but excluding a player from an open public event after inviting them creates an uncomfortable and confusing experience. 3. Women-only games can provide a space for friendship, privacy, and conversation, especially in a private-home setting where everyone understands the group’s purpose. 4. Public Mahjong communities grow stronger when players welcome people with different backgrounds, personalities, genders, ages, and styles of play. 5. Choosing to sit with players who are different from you can expand your Mahjong skills, your perspective, and the community that makes the game worth playing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. Oct 6

    The Most Unexpected Mahjong Game

    Sheryl Rue-Borden joins Jenn and Cathy to explain how a dispensary grand opening, a lifelong love of Mahjong, and medical cannabis advocacy became Mahjong Bong. They talk ADHD, adult cannabis culture, responsible use, rules, laughter, luxury game design, and starting business number twelve. Connect with MahJongg Bong (https://www.facebook.com/mahjonggbong/) Connect with Mahjong Meets Moxie, order "Groan Stones," or a cameo for the Mahj player in your life: https://www.mahjongmeetsmoxie.com/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793859083054812/ Key Takeaways 1. Sheryl Rue-Borden created Mahjongg Bong after teaching Mahjong at a cannabis dispensary’s social-consumption lounge in suburban Chicago. 2. Mahjongg Bong is an adult game for players who already know American Mahjong and want to add dice, action cards, house rules, and their preferred vice to game night. 3. Sheryl says cannabis helps her manage ADHD, slow down racing thoughts, focus at the table, and play more strategically. 4. The game includes a custom bong, dice with cannabis leaves, Mahjongg Bong logos, and red dragons, plus 420-themed action cards that change play after the Charleston. 5. Sheryl built Mahjongg Bong as her twelfth business venture, self-funded it, trademarked the name, and designed it as a luxury, limited-edition game for adults 21 and older. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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3.6
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

The Mahj Salon is where Mahjong players come for the stories and stay for the opinions. It is a show for people who care how other players shuffle, stack, and score. Hosted by Mahjong Meets Moxie’s Jennifer Hohman and Cathy Herrington, it sounds like the table talk you wish you had recorded. Fast, funny, and frank, each episode digs into pet peeves, tile choices, money at the table, and the growing business of Mahjong. Some topics feel small. Some feel huge. All of them feel like conversations you have after a long night of play.

Information

  • Creator
    Mahjong Meets Moxie
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Mahj Salon

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