About Buttercup Mahj
A game worth sharing; a community worth building.
Buttercup Mahj was born from a simple belief: that mah jongg is one of the most joyful games in the world, and everyone deserves a chance to learn it. To mah jongg is to socialize and engage in community. To connect to one's playful side and feed one's soul through a long standing game of tradition.
Staci
Founder & Instructor
Meet Staci
Hi, I'm Staci — and I'm a little obsessed with mah jongg.
I fell in love with American Mah Jongg the way most people do — sitting around a table with people I adored, hearing the shuffle of tiles, and community celebration when someone yelled Mah Jongg, completely mystified and completely hooked...to the point I dreamt about it that night and woke eager to play again. I found a game that brought the entire family together at the table, laughing, and connecting with no technology for hours. Daily play became a thing to unwind from my day, connecting with my family and my own inner child's love of play.
What started as a personal obsession quickly became a calling. I found that teaching the game — watching someone's eyes light up when they call their first Mah Jongg — brought me just as much joy as playing it myself. Next thing I knew, I was teaching my son's friends, co-workers, and others. As a trained trauma therapist, I found the play of mah jongg to stimulate conversation skills at the table, social connection, and nervous system regulation. I found the game to provide neuron stimulation of memory, pattern recognition, and decision making, while engaging in mental stimulation and regulation.
I founded Buttercup Mahj to create space for community, while sharing the joy and happiness the game brings to me and my family. One thing I often hear in the therapy room is the struggle for adults to find space to socialize and connect with others, especially when new to the area and I have found that mah jongg is a game that can generate that social connection. No technology, no distractions, just the game and a space to connect socially. Whether you're a complete beginner, a parent hoping to share the game with your kids, or a seasoned player looking for your people — there's a seat at this table for you.
Our Philosophy
What we believe about learning and playing.
Patience above all
Learning a new game can feel overwhelming. We go at your pace, repeat as many times as needed, and celebrate every small win along the way.
Community first
Mah jongg is a social game at its heart. We build a table where everyone feels welcome — beginners, seasoned players, kids, and everyone in between.
Joy in the game
We never lose sight of why we play: because it is genuinely fun. Every session should leave you smiling, whether you won or not.
Why Buttercup?
The name has a story.
The buttercup is a small, cheerful wildflower that shows up in unexpected places and brightens everything around it. A buttercup flower symbolizes joy, happiness, childhood innocence, cheerfulness, and gratitude. That's exactly what mah jongg does — it brings joy and happiness, connects to our inner child, and it turns an ordinary afternoon into something memorable.
Many years ago, Staci was the director of PlusOne Mentors in Redding, California and started mentoring Drew. Eventually, Drew came to live with Staci and there were many days of playing games together. At one point, Staci was featured in a profile in the local paper and the picture for the article was of Staci and Drew playing yahtzee together. Just as Staci has nicknames for all of her kids, Drew has always been her Buttercup. Today, Drew works with Staci at her therapy practice, Drew's Place, in Redding, and they can often be found playing a game of mah jongg together at the office.
Come play with us.
Whether you're brand new or ready to level up, there's a class with your name on it.