James ‘Buster’ Corley, co-founder of Dave & Buster’s, dies in Dallas at 72

James “Buster” Corley, co-founder of Dave & Buster’s, died in his Dallas home Monday.

Corley was found in his home on his 72nd birthday with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Dallas police.

Corley “had a stroke four months ago that caused severe damage to the communication and personality part of his brain,” his daughter Kate Corley told WFAA-TV. The family has asked for privacy.

A representative from Dave & Buster’s told WFAA that Corley was an “innovative and creative force.”

“His pioneering spirit and steadfast belief that ‘everybody is somebody’ set the foundation for bringing food and games to millions of Dave & Buster’s guests over the past 40 years,” a company spokesperson told WFAA. “Buster’s passion for hospitality, his demand for excellence, and the deep care he had for his team members were unparalleled. Our hearts go out to his family at this difficult time and while we will miss his wise counsel and his easy laugh, the legacy he and Dave built endures.”

The company’s other co-founder, David Corriveau, died in 2015.

Corley and Corriveau opened the first Dave & Buster’s in Dallas in 1982. In the late 1970s, according to the company’s website, Corley opened a restaurant while just a few doors down, Corriveau had opened a place for entertainment and games catering to adults. The two saw customers going to both of their businesses and came up with the idea of opening the first Dave & Buster’s in a 40,000-square-foot warehouse in Dallas.

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This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 12:28 PM.