Newsletter 3/25: Mahjong mania
Plus: County steps up land purchases for parks; Charity run to honor fallen firefighter; New Atrium ER for Ballantyne; CLT braces for spring break crowds; Stowe Botanical Garden recognized in Vogue
Today's Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by T.R. Lawing Realty:
The ancient Chinese tile game Mahjong is becoming so popular, Charlotte businesses are starting to teach people how to play; will it replace bridge?
Nearly two dozen women gathered on a recent Thursday for the Queen City Mahjong Boot Camp, a 4-hour workshop that teaches the rules of the Chinese tile game mahjong. The game’s popularity has increased in Charlotte in recent years, prompting people like Jill Graham (pictured standing in blue sweater) to start a teaching business.
by Lindsey Banks
As Jill Graham threw out words like “crak,” “bam” and “dot” on a recent Thursday morning, eyes widened and mouths went slack across the room of 23 women. For many, it was their first time getting a good look at the intricate tiles used to play mahjong — and learning the words to describe them.
The women were there for the Queen City Mahjong “Boot Camp,” a 4-hour lesson to learn the rules and strategy of the American version of mahjong, a Chinese tile strategy game whose popularity has increased in Charlotte over the past few years.
(In case your eyes just bulged, too, “crak” refers to the suit of tiles with Chinese characters, “bam” is the bamboo suit and “dot” is the circle suit. Think hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs.)
Graham, who started her Queen City Mahjong teaching business in late 2021, said the combination of cinematic scenes in “Crazy Rich Asians” and “The Marvelous Ms. Maisel” and the desire for socialization during the pandemic have contributed to a major mahjong boom in the U.S.
Graham started her business by teaching private lessons to small groups. She’s now expanded to larger group lessons and rents out a room in the Junior League of Charlotte building in Myers Park to host her boot camps.
The boot camp was retired teacher Mary Gregory’s first time at a Queen City Mahjong lesson. Gregory, 68, has been playing mahjong since January with her weekly church group at Christ Episcopal Church. Although she understands the basic rules, she said she wants to learn how to win.
“I’ve been learning on my own, but I just need a teacher to show me strategy,” Gregory told The Ledger.
As a four-person luck and strategy game, mahjong is on its way to becoming the new bridge, Graham said.
Another student, Julie Kavanagh, 57, said all of her friends know how to play mahjong except her, so it was time to learn. She attended the boot camp to learn the basics.
“I don’t know what I don’t know,” she said with a laugh.
Graham reassured her that it would all make sense soon.
An old game with new fame: Mahjong (also spelled “mah jongg”) originated in China in the 1800s and became popular among the Jewish American community in the 1950s. Mahjong has been played in the United States dating back to the 1920s but gained more visibility over the past few years, like Graham said, thanks to pop culture and movies. (If you haven’t seen the mahjong scene in “Crazy Rich Asians,” it’s worth a watch.)
There are different versions of the game, usually depending on what country you live in. Queen City Mahjong teaches the American version and uses the scorecard produced by the National Mah Jongg League, a nonprofit organization based in New York City. The nonprofit has put out a new scorecard every year for the past 86 years with different winning tile combinations, called “hands,” to keep the game fresh and updated.
Mahjong groups have sprouted across Charlotte, like Mahj In The City, another teaching business in Charlotte that offers private and group lessons. Although Graham said she originally noticed retired women as the key demographic of players, she’s seen a recent increase in younger players.
Business roots: Graham said she never set out to be a mahjong teacher. During the pandemic, she and a group of friends taught themselves to play to keep busy during quarantine. Graham dug into blog posts, watched YouTube videos and read “Beginners Guide to American Mahjong” by Elaine Sanderson.
When other people learned that Graham had become skilled at mahjong, they started asking her to come teach them how to play. From there, Graham got enough interest that she realized she could make money from her mahjong expertise. She says she spends 15 hours a week planning and teaching lessons.
She started with private lessons for small friend groups who wanted to expand their book club or parent groups. Now, she also offers the boot camps, which are 4-hour classes to learn how to play mahjong and practice the game. The cost is $150 per person, and Graham has four assistants whom she hires to help out.
Private lessons cost anywhere from $50 to $75 per person depending on how big of a group, she said.
While it’s usually women who sign up for her lessons, Graham says men occasionally attend. Her students range in age from the 30s to 70s.
Graham does most of her business through Instagram from people who message her for private lessons.
For small groups who are interested in learning to play, Graham recommends signing up for at least two private lessons. She said most groups usually take three to four lessons.
As she’s grown the business, Queen City Mahjong has partnered with The Mahjong Line, a Dallas-based Mahjong set company that makes unique and intricately decorated tiles. Sets range from $375 to $450. Amazon also has some quality sets for a lower price, she said.
Graham said she owns six sets of mahjong tiles, and her assistants each own a set or two, so people who book lessons do not need to have their own mahjong set.
Learning and laughs: As the boot camp continued and the mahjong novices became more sure of themselves, hands started shooting up with women asking about the different winning tile combinations, or hands, as they played a practice round.
They learned insider lingo, like “soap” (a white dragon piece that looks like a rectangle), and they learned American mahjong traditions, like when the bird tile in the bamboo suit is played, some people like to raise a toast to the “one bam bird.”
Graham also touched on mahjong etiquette, like keeping your hands to your own game pieces.
“You’re not supposed to touch other people’s racks,” Graham said.
When she said that, the room exploded, partially with laughter and partially with relief.
They were finally understanding mahjong humor.
Lindsey Banks is a staff reporter for The Ledger: lindsey@cltledger.com
Today’s supporting sponsor is the event venue at McColl Center. McColl Center is the unique and artistic venue where your company's event, celebration, or social gathering becomes a masterpiece. Schedule a tour and learn more.
County steps up purchases of land for parks; Construction of greenways is at an all-time high, too, officials say
Mecklenburg County is on track to buy more land for future parks this year than it has in at least the three previous years.
The county has closed on 452 acres so far this fiscal year, which started in July 2023, and has 145 additional acres under contract and offers out on 633 more acres, said Katie Lloyd, the county’s senior planner with Park and Recreation, at a meeting last week of county park advisory councils.
Assuming some of the purchases are completed by the end of June, that will be more than the 496 acres the county bought in the fiscal year that ended in 2023 and far above levels from 2021 and 2022.
The county is increasing its purchases of land for parks, after commissioners have earmarked more money for that purpose in the last few years. The areas encircled by black lines show the spots the county has targeted for buying land. (Source: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department)
The stepped-up purchases of land for parks come as Mecklenburg has consistently scored low on national surveys that examine the number and locations of parks compared with population.
County commissioners allocated $50M to buy park land this year. In recent years, a narrow majority of commissioners voted for more park funding than county staff recommended during budget deliberations, said commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell.
“We’re super proud of the fact that we’ve been able to ramp this up,” Rodriguez-McDowell told The Ledger. “We just believe that parks are super important for physical health, for mental health — but not only that, but for environmental purposes.”
Parks officials try to buy land in areas of the county that have no parks nearby, known as “gap areas,” and that also have above-average rates of certain demographic characteristics, such as poverty, rental homes or communities of color, known as “priority communities.”
Depending on the site, the land can become a park, nature preserve or greenway, though the process can take years or decades.
At the meeting, officials said there are several park projects under construction or about to start construction, including:
Ezell Park, a 91-acre park on Matthews-Mint Hill Road in Mint Hill. Construction is expected to start in April and be finished by the fall of 2025.
Eastland Park, a 5-acre park that’s part of the Eastland Yards project on Central Avenue in east Charlotte. Construction is expected to start in early 2025 and be finished by the summer of 2026.
Archdale Park, a redevelopment of a 17-acre park on Archdale Drive in southwest Charlotte. Construction is expected to begin in early 2025 and be completed in summer 2026.
Latta Place, a 13-acre historic site in Huntersville that is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
Discovery Place Nature, the redevelopment of a 26,000 s.f. nature center by Freedom Park in Myers Park. Utility work has started on the site, and construction is expected to begin in early April.
Mallard Creek Recreation Center, on Johnston Oehler Road. Renovations are expected to start soon and be finished by June 2025.
Ribbonwalk Nature Center. Design of a nature center off Nevin Road by the Derita neighborhood, near the existing Ribbonwalk Nature Preserve, will start this summer, with completion expected in 2028.
The county has also recently completed sections of greenways in Matthews, the Mountain Island Lake area, Ballantyne and other parts of the county.
“We’ve got more projects under construction right now than we’ve ever had before,” said Bert Lynn, the director of capital planning for Mecklenburg’s Park and Recreation Department.
More to come: Kip Kiser, who chairs the county’s advisory Park and Recreation Commission, said there’s still plenty of work to do, including getting commitments from the county for two additional regional recreation centers, more sports fields, renovations at the Grady Cole Center and a solution for the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center, which he said “is in OK shape, but it’s not big enough.” —TM
Eight years after firefighter’s death, his parents continue to honor his legacy with charity races for gear and scholarships; this year’s race will be April 20 in Pineville
Mike and Linay Sheltra’s son Richard was 20 when he died on April 30, 2016, fighting a fire in a Pineville shopping center with the Pineville Volunteer Fire Department.
The week before his death had been perhaps “the best week of his life,” Linay Sheltra says. Richard had hit several personal goals in his weightlifting, he was working while taking a full courseload at Central Piedmont Community College, and he had just been notified that the city of Charlotte wanted to interview him because he had passed the physical requirements for the Charlotte Fire Department.
“I mean, everything was aligning perfectly for this kid,” Linay Sheltra told the Ledger in a recent interview.
Mother and son walked together that Saturday morning in a sarcoma charity walk, and that night, the Sheltras — who had both been firefighters themselves — got the devastating news: Their son had died while fighting a fire.
Following Richard’s death, the Sheltras created a nonprofit in his honor to purchase new gear for volunteer fire departments and provide educational scholarships for first responders. So far, the 501(c)3 nonprofit has distributed about $80,000 in funds for gear and scholarships, Richard Sheltra said.
Most of the funding for gear goes to small volunteer fire departments in North and South Carolina, which often struggle to provide their firefighters with the turnout gear — the equipment firefighters wear when responding to a fire — that they need to stay safe.
On April 20, the Richard Sheltra Memorial Foundation will host its seventh charity run to raise money for the cause. The opening ceremony will start at 7 a.m. at Belle Johnston Community Center in Pineville, and participants can run in a certified 10K, 5K or take part in 1-mile fun run or walk.
How would Richard feel about people running in his honor?
“Oh, he’d be so embarrassed — he didn’t like attention,” Linay said, laughing. “But I think he would be very pleased.”
Get more information or register for the race here. —CB
ON SALE: Get your tickets for The Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Awards celebration, presented by U.S. Bank. Join us April 30 as we honor 40 individuals aged 40+ who are making Charlotte better. (Read the list of honorees).
You might be interested in these Charlotte events: Nonprofit pitch competition, brain health workshop, SouthPark After 5
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
TUESDAY: Social Venture Partners Charlotte Presents SEED20 OnStage, 7-9:30 p.m., Central Piedmont Parr Center. A fusion of Shark Tank and TED talk, SEED20 OnStage is a live fast-pitch competition for the region's most innovative nonprofits. Whether in person or virtually, the audience votes for their favorite 3-minute pitch to determine the winner. The event will take place in Central Piedmont’s new theater located in the Parr Center. $85 for theater and reception tickets, $30 for livestream tickets. Both tickets text to vote.
APRIL 12 and 19: FREE Brain Health Workshop Information Session, 9:30-11:30 a.m., The Ivey, Charlotte. Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you were there? Are you concerned every time you lose your keys? This session will empower individuals with insights, strategies, and knowledge vital for maintaining and enhancing brain health. Free.
APRIL 18: SouthPark After 5, 5-9 p.m., Symphony Park. Experience free live music, food trucks, and interactive art experiences at SouthPark After 5 at Symphony Park. On April 18, expect music from Sol Fusion Band and free face painting. Free.
◼️ Check out the full Ledger events board.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
New Atrium ER headed to Ballantyne: Atrium Health is constructing a freestanding emergency department on Johnston Road in the Ballantyne area, at the site of a former CVS between Marvin Road and Ardrey Kell Road. The Atrium Health Ballantyne Emergency Department will be operated as a facility of Atrium Health Pineville, Atrium officials told The Ledger. It sits about two miles from the Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center hospital that opened last year.
School crossing guard killed: The crossing guard who was struck by a car at Fort Mill Elementary School has died. The York County Coroner’s Office said 61-year-old Stanley Brucker was hit near the entrance of the school on Thursday. (WBTV)
Mayor writes letter on gun violence: Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles posted a letter on social media addressed to the “youth of Charlotte” in which she urged action against gun violence. She called it “an epidemic that requires the collective effort of our entire community” and urged them to speak out against it while saying adults need to “come together to work on the underlying issues that contribute to violence.” Critics on social media said the letter was insufficient to address the problem. (Mayor Vi Lyles on X/Twitter)
Myers Park home sales: Of Mecklenburg County’s 10 most expensive home sales in February, half were in Myers Park, and the most expensive sale was a $4.35M, 5,800 s.f. home on Queens Road East with five bedrooms. (Biz Journal, subscriber-only)
Triplex update: City planning director Alyson Craig is scheduled to update the Charlotte City Council tonight on the development of triplexes and other residential construction under the Unified Development Ordinance. The Ledger examined the issue in a recent article.
Price changes at Whitewater Center: The cost of an annual pass to the U.S. National Whitewater Center has dropped by $100, to $149. Daily parking rose from $6 to $12, and annual parking passes dropped from $60 to $40. It’s part of new pricing designed to encourage repeat visits. (Axios Charlotte)
Expect crowds at CLT: Charlotte’s airport says it’s expecting its busiest Easter weekend/spring break ever, with the heaviest travel days Thursday (March 28), Friday (March 29) and Monday (April 1). It recommends booking parking in advance and arriving at the terminal at least two hours before your flight. (Charlotte airport)
Bonterra successor closes: Phillip’s Bistro & Wine Bar, the successor to longtime Dilworth restaurant Bonterra, has permanently closed its new location at Phillips Place in SouthPark, which opened last year. (Observer)
Shout-out for botanical garden: An article in Vogue says the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont is one of the top botanical gardens in the U.S., with “a magnificent display of tropical plants and orchids.” (Vogue)
Taking stock
Unless you are a day trader, checking your stocks daily is unhealthy. So how about weekly? How local stocks of note fared last week (through Friday’s close), and year to date:
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman, BC Creative