Tiles are clacking across Milwaukee as a citywide mahjong boom builds toward a big milestone: Four Winds Lounge, billed as the area's first dedicated mahjong lounge and retail store, opens at Bayshore on November 1. The shop will sell tiles, racks, mats, accessories and gifts alongside coffee drinks, tea and snacks, with staff teaching customers how to play and hosting open play sessions for anyone who wants to pull up a chair.
Four Winds Lounge is owned by Kitty Gaenslen, Maria Fenske and Amy Lukas, according to OnMilwaukee. The lounge is set to open on November 1 at Bayshore. The lounge will offer a place for friends to play mahjong together. The business arrives as interest in the tile-based game surges, according to a separate report from The Business Journal, which also reported that three entrepreneurs are behind the new space.
Mahjong is gaining popularity nationwide as players seek in-person connection and time away from their phones, NPR reports. The game is typically played by four people at a square table. Oh My Mahjong's complete sets with accessories start at $660, while Heron House member discounts put some tile sets at up to $475.
A Social Group That Started With One Full House
Milwaukee's organized mahjong scene traces back to Stephanie Wong, who wanted more people in the city to play and formed the MKE Mahjong Social Group with Vinson Chu in 2024. “We launched our first event in 2024, it was a full house, and we've been growing ever since,” the pair told Milwaukee Uncut. The group now hosts events in bars, restaurants and libraries across the Milwaukee area, including monthly game nights at Wauwatosa Library alongside its pop-up gatherings.
By the time CBS 58 checked in, MKE Mahjong Social Group had grown to 100 members strong, playing weekly at different locations around the region. One recent gathering at Lotus Restaurant in Oak Creek drew about 35 people for a group dinner followed by mahjong games, per OnMilwaukee. The group welcomes beginners and teaches them how to play.
A Collaboration Rooted In Community
MKE Mahjong also collaborates with the You Can Do It Social Group, founded by Ngoc LeFunk.
LeFunk organizes mahjong workshops and games at Classic Slice Pizza in Bay View and Von Trier on Milwaukee's east side, among other venues, according to OnMilwaukee. She said the collaboration between the two groups aims to expand the community by getting mahjong out to more people across the city. That partnership continues this week: MKE Mahjong and the You Can Do It Social Group are co-hosting a Halloween Mahjong Mash at Haven Cafe, 1201 N. Van Buren St., running from 6 to 11 p.m. on Thursday.
Part Of A Bigger National Wave
Milwaukee's momentum mirrors a broader resurgence playing out across the country. NPR reported that the game has seen increased interest specifically among Gen Z and Millennials over the past year, with in-person meetups growing as players look for joy, connection and a break from their phones; the outlet notes the game is typically played by four people at a square table. Demand has been dramatic enough that Yelp searches for mahjong clubs rose 4,467% in 2025, and searches for “mahjong store” and “mahjong club” hit an all-time high in August 2026, according to CNN.
Back in Milwaukee, Four Winds Lounge is set to open its doors at Bayshore, and groups like MKE Mahjong and You Can Do It Social Group continue to fill tables at cafes, pizzerias and libraries. Milwaukee's tile-clicking community shows little sign of slowing down.
