The History of Dave & Buster’s

In the late 1970s, David Corriveau and James "Buster" Corley were operating separate establishments located right next door to each other in Little Rock, Arkansas. Corriveau owned a game parlor and saloon called Cash McCool's, while Corley owned a bar called Buster’s. The two men quickly realized that patrons frequently went back and forth between the two establishments. They decided to combine their two businesses to create one establishment that offered food, drinks, televised sports, and games. They opened the first Dave & Buster’s in Dallas, Texas in 1982. Corriveau was in charge of gaming and entertainment while Corley handled food and beverages. The concept quickly took off and in 1989, the two sold a majority stake in the company to Edison Brothers, a large conglomerate based in St. Louis. However, as part of the deal, the two founders stayed on to offer creative input and help with future expansions. By 1997, there were 10 Dave & Buster’s locations in the United States. The chain continued to expand throughout the 2000s and in 2014, Dave & Buster’s went public to help fund new locations. (Reportedly, a Dave & Buster’s location can cost $10 million or more to open.) The games were originally operated using tokens before transitioning to debit card-inspired Power Cards. Then in the mid-2010s, the company rolled out wearable Power Cards that work similarly to Disney’s famous MagicBands. After surviving the early 2020s, Dave & Buster’s continues to thrive today, offering food, drinks, and entertainment.