By Jill Draper
Just a little over a year ago Kristi Powell and Stephanie Beshoner fell into their first game of mahjong, and it didn’t take long before they were teaching the colored tiles game to others. The longtime friends found they were reaching out to six games a week during the height of their business.
“Wouldn’t it be so great if there was a place you could go and play,” Powell wondered?
Now they’re opening the first mahjong site in the area. Bam Bam Room KC at 12910 State Line Road in Leawood offers classes and league play amid coffee, dirty sodas, champagne and snacks. There are six wooden tables dressed up, and lots of mats on the walls.
September 25-27 are the first few days which are free. After that they will be open Wednesday through Saturday for $8 per two hours of play.
There are many different types of mahjong, including the Chinese version, but the main thing here is the Americanized version. Four players sit around a table and bid on three suits (characters, circles or bamboos), the honor tiles, the dragons and the winds.
Players pass, discard and draw tiles until a mahjong is achieved, one of a few specific combinations of 14 tiles. Each game takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
The women who both have children in their 20s say that their ages, Gen Z and millennials, are the new popularity for the game, in addition to their parents.
“We’re excited,” says Beshoner. “I think it’s just important to think about seeing all the tiles. Everyone should be able to have fun and everyone should be able to play.”
The two say they will continue to teach lessons, $100 for two 2-hours lessons. The price is a fair offer because the participants are able to join other groups afterwards. About 60 people have called about lessons. The rest of the time is for people to play and have a good time.
“It’s a vibrant world that celebrates strategy, tradition and connection,” says Powell. “And what else are you going to do without eating at a bar or dinner?”
The Bam Bam Room has plenty of counter space for related items like napkins, table décor, purses, party ware, notepads, even dog treats. But it will also offer gifts for colorful tiles and mats related to the mahjong world (the bam going with the bamboos in the title).
The room has 24 seats and is open 10 am to 5 pm, with some nights having events that run until 8 or 9 pm. Participants can sign up for lessons and play times at thebambamroomkc.com. Interested players can email hello@thebambamroomkc.com to sign up.
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