ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT
Meet Henry County’s Mahjong Maven
Amber Villegas turned a newfound obsession with mahjong into Coast & Cove Mahjong Social, bringing the national craze home to Henry County.
MCDONOUGH - As Americans rediscover an ancient game in search of real-world connection, Amber Villegas got hooked. Eight months later, she’s teaching Henry County how to play.
Mahjong is having a moment. The Chinese tile game that dates back to the 19th century has suddenly become one of the country’s hottest social pastimes, popping up at restaurants, clubs and organized game nights. U.S. mahjong events on Eventbrite jumped 179 percent from 2023 to 2024, part of a larger return to screen-free activities that bring people together in real life.
Amber Villegas got swept up in the craze almost by accident. “My mom and my sister were playing this mahjong game on an app, and they kept saying, ‘Amber, you have to play.’ So I downloaded it. And I’m not even lying, I was terrible at it for like a week. Then I got good. And I remember thinking, ‘There’s no way this is real mahjong.’”
That curiosity became an obsession. The 32-year-old Henry County mom started reading books, researching the game online, finding clubs and taking Mahjong 101 classes. A few months later, she joined a group while vacationing in Tampa and won two games. “That was it. I was hooked.”
But what kept Amber coming back wasn’t just the game. “I’m a full-time working mom. I have two kids. I’m actually a homebody. I’m not a social butterfly, which people find hard to believe. But mahjong got me out of the house. After having my second child, I really needed to find myself again.”
Around the table: Villegas teaches Henry County residents the game that helped her find a new community of her own.
That desire for connection mirrors what is happening around the country. A game that requires players to put down their phones, gather around a table and actually talk to one another is finding a new generation of devotees. Amber understands the appeal. “You always walk away knowing someone. You’ll walk away with a phone number. You’ll walk away with a story. You’ll have inside jokes. I’ve met complete strangers who have turned into friends.”
Then Amber took her obsession one step further. Just months after learning the game herself, she launched Coast & Cove Mahjong Social, teaching lessons and hosting guided and open play around Henry County. She had always dreamed of owning a business and had once considered teaching. “Why don’t I just teach mahjong?”
Now, as America rediscovers an old game as a new way to connect, Amber is making sure Henry County has a seat at the table8
Contact Coast & Cove Mahjong Social
📍 McDonough & Henry County
📱 Instagram: @ccmahjongsocial
🌐 Coast & Cove Mahjong Social website and calendar