The Food World Mourns The Death Of Dave & Buster's Co-Founder James Corley

The following article includes mentions of suicide.

James Corley, known to friends as "Buster" and nationally as one half of the duo who founded Dave & Buster's, has died, per a statement to local Dallas news station WFAA-TV. Dave & Buster's memorialized the 72-year-old co-founder by posting a touching tribute to him on its social pages, including Instagram. "Everybody is somebody, everybody is a star," the caption began, was followed with, "RIP to Buster Corley, to whom we owe half our name and all of our thanks. You will be missed."

WFAA reports that the Dallas Police Department confirmed that Corley died at the hospital following "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound." Corley's family confirmed his death as well. "Buster Corley had a stroke four months ago that caused severe damage to the communication and personality part of his brain," Corley's daughter, Kate Corley, told WFAA. She added that the family "asks for privacy" as they grieve his loss.

As his nickname suggests, James "Buster" Corley had been affiliated with Dave & Buster's ever since the famous restaurant's inception. According to the official Dave & Buster's website, in the late '70s, Corley opened a restaurant close to an arcade, which was operated by David Corriveau. Eventually, after seeing customers often hop from one to the other, the two men got together and decided the concept of quality food paired with adult-friendly arcade games could potentially be the next big thing. They ran with the idea, despite the fact that many others in the food industry didn't believe it would work.

Corley and Corriveau renovated a Dallas warehouse, where they opened their game-changing dining concept, Dave & Buster's, in 1982. Since then, the brand has launched more than 140 locations; though its partner investors and majority stake have both changed, its name has always remained the same. CNN Business reports that the two men were co-CEOs from 1982 until 2007, when they sold the business. Corley was pre-deceased by Corriveau, who died in 2015 at just 63 years old.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).