Dave & Buster's Co-Founder James Corley Dies By Suicide At 72

James "Buster" Corley, the co-founder of the entertainment restaurant chain Dave & Buster's, has died. He was 72.

A representative for Dave & Buster's confirmed Corley's death in a statement to TMZ.

Police said they responded to a home in Dallas, Texas, and found a man suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday, which was Corley's birthday.

Corley later died in the hospital where he was transported.

"Buster's passion for hospitality, his demand for excellence, and the deep care he had for his team members were unparalleled," the rep said, calling the late Dave & Buster's co-founder "an innovative and creative force" with a "pioneering spirit."

"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 rep added.

Corley's daughter Kate told WFAA in a statement that her father "had a stroke four months ago that caused severe damage to the communication and personality part of his brain."

"The family asks for privacy during this time," she added.

Police said they are still investigating the death.

Coley and David O. Corriveau founded the restaurant and business in Dallas, Texas, in 1982. Corriveau died in 2015 at age 63.

They previously worked in different industries, with Corley operating a restaurant called Buster's and Corriveau overseeing his saloon and game parlor, Cash McCool's.

They merged their businesses' concepts and launched Dave & Buster's. The business partners decided on the name through a coin toss before officially opening the first Dave & Buster's store in December 1982.

Edison Brothers Stores acquired majority ownership of the restaurant in 1989, and it allowed them to expand the business to other cities. In 1997, the chain already had 10 branches across the country.

Following Jillian's Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing in 2004, Dave and Buster's acquired nine of its locations and rebranded seven of them. Wellspring Capital Management acquired the two closed Jillian's the following year.

Despite its popularity, Dave and Buster's hit rock bottom like many other restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. As it recovered amid the decrease in cases in 2021, the restaurant chain saw its executives come and go. Brian Jenkins retired in September 2021 and got replaced with Kevin Sheehan as the interim CEO.

Currently, Dave and Buster's has 151 locations across the country.