By Hudson Pace

Photo credit: @NBCNews via Twitter.

On Monday, January 2, James “Buster” Corley, co-founder of the entertainment and gaming chain Dave & Buster’s, passed away. Dave & Buster’s was established by Buster Corley and his partner, Dave Corriveau, in 1982 with the idea of combining dining and gaming. Corley died in Dallas at age 72. Corley suffered a stroke four months ago that severely affected the communication and function of his brain. The cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot.

Prior to the establishment of Dave & Buster’s, Corley owned a bar called Buster’s, in Little Rock, Arkansas. When Corley noticed frequent customers visiting both his restaurant and an arcade next door, Cash McCool’s, owned by David “Dave” Corriveau, the two decided to form one establishment. This was located on Dallas’s restaurant row, which includes places such as Trail Dust Steakhouse, Pappadeaux Seafood, and more. This allowed adults to have the enjoyment of both food and beverages, along with games. Corley was known for his “innovative and creative force,” in the process of developing Dave & Buster’s, a representative from Dave & Buster’s told Mayra Monroy of Dallas’s WFAA News.

Photo credit: @DaveandBusters via twitter. 

Corriveau and Corley also became great friends outside of work. Originally just business partners, the two developed a true friendship. The two are godfathers to each other’s children. When Corriveau died in 2015 at the age of 63, Corley was truly saddened by his death. 

Photo credit: RFM Staff.

The first Dave & Buster’s opened in 1982 in Dallas, in a 40,000-square-foot warehouse. The two flipped a coin to determine whose name would be placed first, and Corriveau won the coin toss. In 1989, Edison Brothers Stores purchased a majority ownership in the chain, with the goal of spreading into more cities. Into the 1990s, the business grew nationwide, targeting mostly adults. Dave & Buster’s went public in 1995, spinning off from Edison Brothers Stores, and named Andy Newman as their chairman. By 1997, the chain had ten locations around the country. In the early 2000s, Dave & Buster’s continued to grow, establishing locations throughout all of America and Canada. Corley described the growing chain as the best “relief for stress that’s legal and public.”

Photo credit: Wikimedia user WikiBoy06.

Currently, Dave & Buster’s has 151 locations worldwide, with Richmond’s location being in the Short Pump shopping district. Once a popular location for mainly just adults, Dave & Buster’s has transitioned into a hot spot for children’s parties and other gatherings. 

T Rigby (‘23) says, “I have enjoyed attending many parties at Dave & Buster’s, and it was the spot to be in adolescence. I always liked the delicious food and games. Hearing about Buster’s death truly hit me hard. He’s someone whose work should certainly not go unnoticed.”

Photo credit: Dave & Buster’s.

I visited Dave & Buster’s many times in my childhood. In particular, I spent my first fantasy football draft there with my friends. We were in 4th grade, and we were eager to have our first-ever fantasy draft. Dave & Buster’s was the perfect spot, a Lower Schooler’s paradise, as we spent time playing arcade games, eating food, and drinking way too much soda. Porter Vaughan (‘23), who attended this fantasy draft, says, “I would describe Dave & Buster’s as the perfect venue for such an extraordinary event.” We spent hours playing all the games in the arcade, running up our prize cards and our parents’ checks. Once the draft began, we had our own private room, giving us the feeling of royalty. The draft was a huge success and could be the reason our league continues to this day.

Hearing about Buster’s death certainly left me saddened. Dave & Buster’s was such a valuable place in my childhood. I can’t count the number of Dave & Buster’s cards that are sitting around my bedroom. Buster was a great innovator in the entertainment industry and also a great man. According to a company spokesperson, Buster was known for 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.” 

Featured image credit: Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic/Getty Images.