Chatham Shop Taps Into The Mahjong Craze

CHATHAM – The game of mahjong, developed in China in the 19th century and popularized in the US in the 1920s, is riding a phenomenal wave of interest both nationally and locally. Prominently featured in movies like "Crazy Rich Asians," mahjong is also a big player on the Lower Cape, with the Center for Active Living in Chatham making space available for those who want to play, libraries and yacht clubs hosting players and mahjong groups springing up in neighborhoods large and small. And now downtown Chatham is home to what is believed to be the only brick and mortar mahjong store on Cape Cod.

Main Street Mahjong has taken a tiny retail space near the ball field in Chatham and turned it into a jewel box for all things mahjong. The inspiration for the shop came from owner Jill Boudreau's experience trying to buy a new mahjong tile set for herself. She was in Chatham and googled "mahjong stores nearby." 

 "Nothing came up," she recalled. "I was shocked. Was it possible that there was no mahjong store within the 400 square miles of Cape Cod?"

 It was. There were plenty of online options, but she wanted to be able to see and feel the tiles herself. A successful residential realtor in the Boston area who also has a home locally, Boudreau had no experience in retail or commercial real estate. But she did have over 25 years of business experience.

 "So I googled available commercial leases and up popped 726 Main Street." 

The building had been unused for a while and Boudreau, who has a passion for interior design, could envision what it could be. In addition, wasn't Main Street Mahjong a natural for the name? 

 She presented her ideas to the owners and they were amenable to her plans to "glow up" the space. The shop opened in November 2025 and after the work was done, Boudreau recalled their reaction: "This place never looked so good!" 

 The game is usually played by four people, with tiles that denote three suits - bams, cracks and dots. Tiles representing jokers as well as flowers, dragons and winds are also involved. The object of the game is to use your tiles to match one of the many combinations on the official mahjong card. 

 Boudreau is happy to help navigate the process of learning the game. When they come in, people often ask for advice on how to get started. "I tell them step one is to try the game." Boudreau offers two levels of lessons in the shop and also lets people know there are "great instructors locally." 

 "I never try to steer people. Look, compare, do what brings you joy," she said. 

 In addition to mahjong sets, Main Street Mahjong stocks mats and tablecloths as well as tiles for rummikub, a similar tile-based game. Also stocked are colorful mahjong themed accessories for entertaining, including cups, napkins and placemats. According to Boudreau, the sets offer "a blend of coastal chic with vibrant color and contemporary design. It's like eye candy!" 

  Boudreau is delighted with customers' reaction to her shop, with mahjong players and newbies coming from all over. Recently a mother, grandmother and daughter drove from Maine to celebrate the daughter's 27th birthday with a trip to Main Street Mahjong. And a group of four women flew up from Washington D.C. to shop and attend the mahjong event Boudreau hosts at Chatham Bars Inn. "I am having a ball meeting great people! They all came here because there was no similar place near them," Boudreau said. 

 In addition to hosting a spring mahjong event at the Chatham Bars Inn, complete with lunch, she also does corporate events held locally, where one of the breakout activities offered is mahjong.

 A growing number of men are looking to enjoy the game, she said, as are younger people. "And it doesn't have to be uber competitive," she added. "You can be a social player and enjoy it as much as those in tournaments or on cruises."

 What is it about mahjong that has generated such a phenomenon of interest? Players often cite the social and community connection made, the screen-free tactile sensation provided and the mental stimulation it affords. Boudreau agrees 100%. For her, "mahjong is more than a game...it's a gathering, a conversation and a celebration of modern play!"

 For more information on Main Street Mahjong, go to mainstmahjong.com