The Surge
New tables and a planned studio spread American mahjong across Northwest Arkansas
A Fayetteville shop, a Fort Smith area group with studio plans and a Bentonville teacher are bringing new players to the game, per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported on September 9 that mahjong groups are drawing players across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. Among them is Ozark Mah Jongg in Fayetteville, operated by Shanda Sloan, which the paper says opened in 2025 and offers American-style instruction, social play and accessories.
"Right now we're having a craze," Sloan told the paper, adding that she regularly sees teens playing alongside boomers, seniors and Gen Xers. She described the shop's mission as putting people around a table who would not normally sit together.
The report also names River Valley Mahj, founded by Angela Jones in August 2025, which plans to open a studio in fall 2026 at The Village at Heritage in Barling, and Mahjong Mama Club in Bentonville, where instructor Lindsey Fraser teaches American mahjong. "Once you learn the game and know the rules, you can go anywhere," Fraser said.
OOTT is not affiliated with any of the groups named and does not sell sets.