Simply Mahj
Holly Patel
Owner / Creator / Facilitator
About me:
I am wife, proud mom, and mahjong enthusiast! I grew up playing Chinese and Filipino Mahjong, and I got introduced to American Mahjong, August 2024, and I never looked back. The magic of the Mahjong community completely captured me. My background is in education, which made combining my love for teaching and mahjong so seamless. I earned my BA in Psychology from UTSA and my MEd in School Counseling from Lamar University. When I am not working or attending to Band mom duties, I like to spend quiet time at home and binge watch shows and movies. I also love to go on cruises and travel the world. Maybe You’ll see me on a Mahjong Cruise!
Our Story
Our story literally came from a dream! In April 2025, I had a dream of teaching a mahjong class. The next day I mentioned this dream to my husband, and his response was, “why don’t you?” and just like that, Simply Mahj was born. We chose the name Simply Mahj because we wanted to bring accessibility and simplicity to a game most are hesitant to learn. Our mission is to grow the Mahjong community in a social and competitive way.
We taught our first class on June 5th. In the early inception of our company, we thought this would just be something that would fill my time. What started out as a hobby became so much more. In a short period, we realized that Mahjong was not just a past time for people. It is a whole lifestyle!
By September 2025, we launched our line! Our Simply Zen, Howdy Texas and Prosperity Tile Sets were born. We decided our focus was going to be on a modern take to a very traditional game with focus on clarity, playability, and style. Our tiles cater to all levels of players.
Also in September 2025, we launched the Texas Mahjong League. A quarterly league that encourages social competitive play. Our League members are from all levels and have really helped grow the Mahjong culture in Cypress, TX.
In December 2025, we hosted our first Annual Merry Mahj Holiday Tournament. What can I say about this tournament is nothing short of amazing! We had a great turnout and such an amazing time. The day was filled with lots of Mahj, Laughter, and new friends! Our tournaments will be hosted each quarter.
Also in December 2025, we signed our lease to our Boutique and Studio, set to open in February 2026 in the prestigious neighborhood of Cinco Ranch in Katy, TX. Creating a dedicated space for mahjong lovers around the Greater Houston Area for a place to Learn. Shop. And Social!
We cannot wait to see what 2026 Brings!
Thank you to this Amazing Mahjong Community for helping make this dream into reality!