More than a century after the game swept the country, longtime players and a new generation are finding common ground around the American Mahjong table.
ANDOVER, Mass., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In the early 1920s, Mahjong swept across America. More than a century later, interest in the game is surging again.
Mahjong never went away, remaining an important part of social life for generations of players, particularly in Chinese American and Jewish American communities. Today, the game is reaching a broader audience. Boston-area Mahjong events increased 420% from 2024 to 2025, according to Eventbrite data reported by Boston.com. Yelp’s 2026 Trend Forecast found that searches for “mahjong clubs” increased 4,467%, while searches for “mahjong lessons” rose 819%, as reported by The Boston Globe.
That resurgence has reached downtown Andover.
The Hidden Parlor recently opened at 69 Park Street, where visitors enter through a boutique before passing through the hidden door to spaces for American Mahjong, a library lounge, a Zoom room, and member lockers.
More than 70 people from over two dozen communities across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire now call themselves members of The Hidden Parlor Society, according to company records. Working mothers with elementary-school children are playing alongside empty nesters and retirees, bringing people at different stages of life to the same table.
“Playing Mahjong used to mean coordinating four people and making everyone’s schedules work. Here, I can come on my own and know there will be people to play with. I’ve already expanded my circle, and they’re people I look forward to seeing again,” said one member from New Hampshire.
More than 60 members and guests visited during opening week, with six tables in play for the opening night of the Tuesday Evening League.
American Mahjong is at the center of The Hidden Parlor today, but plans extend beyond the game, with a book club, bridge, and other social games planned.
Guests can reserve open play, lessons, guided play, and select events. Prospective members are invited to experience the Parlor with a complimentary first visit.
Website: www.thehiddenparlorsociety.com
Media Contact: hello@thehiddenparlorsociety.com
Sources: Eventbrite via Boston.com; Yelp 2026 Trend Forecast via The Boston Globe; historical research by Annelise Heinz via Stanford University; The Hidden Parlor Society records.
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SOURCE The Hidden Parlor Society
