PJ Vogt

Buster connecting on video from his home, a man in his late 60s, looking a bit like a fitter off-season Santa Claus.

Buster connecting on video from his home, a man in his late 60s, looking a bit like a fitter off-season Santa Claus.

Buster tells the origin story of his and Dave's powerful partnership. Back in the early 80s, these two men, Dave and Buster, were running establishments in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their businesses were separate but side-by-side, one called Buster's, the other, confusingly, called Slick Willy's.

Buster tells the origin story of his and Dave's powerful partnership. Back in the early 80s, these two men, Dave and Buster, were running establishments in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their businesses were separate but side-by-side, one called Buster's, the other, confusingly, called Slick Willy's.

Buster tells the origin story of his and Dave's powerful partnership. Back in the early 80s, these two men, Dave and Buster, were running establishments in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their businesses were separate but side-by-side, one called Buster's, the other, confusingly, called Slick Willy's.

Customers loved Slick Willy's games, and they loved drinking next door at Buster's. But the rules in Arkansas said that the two places could not be combined. Back then, you could not have pool tables and a liquor license under one roof.

Customers loved Slick Willy's games, and they loved drinking next door at Buster's. But the rules in Arkansas said that the two places could not be combined. Back then, you could not have pool tables and a liquor license under one roof.

Customers loved Slick Willy's games, and they loved drinking next door at Buster's. But the rules in Arkansas said that the two places could not be combined. Back then, you could not have pool tables and a liquor license under one roof.

So they did. They moved to Dallas, where the rules were different, where their forbidden desire to mate restaurants would be allowed by local regulators. The new spot, this one carried both their names, conjoined now by a fancy ampersand, Dave and Buster's. From there, the rest was restaurant history. That was Buster's story.

So they did. They moved to Dallas, where the rules were different, where their forbidden desire to mate restaurants would be allowed by local regulators. The new spot, this one carried both their names, conjoined now by a fancy ampersand, Dave and Buster's. From there, the rest was restaurant history. That was Buster's story.

So they did. They moved to Dallas, where the rules were different, where their forbidden desire to mate restaurants would be allowed by local regulators. The new spot, this one carried both their names, conjoined now by a fancy ampersand, Dave and Buster's. From there, the rest was restaurant history. That was Buster's story.

And if its obvious pertinence to the solution to this mystery is not clear to you... It wasn't clear to me at the time either. I didn't know what I'd just learned. I couldn't talk to either Dave or Buster directly. Both founders in 2025 have sadly died. And Dave & Buster's corporate was not responding to my emails. But I had another idea, something I wanted to test out at the local franchise.

And if its obvious pertinence to the solution to this mystery is not clear to you... It wasn't clear to me at the time either. I didn't know what I'd just learned. I couldn't talk to either Dave or Buster directly. Both founders in 2025 have sadly died. And Dave & Buster's corporate was not responding to my emails. But I had another idea, something I wanted to test out at the local franchise.

And if its obvious pertinence to the solution to this mystery is not clear to you... It wasn't clear to me at the time either. I didn't know what I'd just learned. I couldn't talk to either Dave or Buster directly. Both founders in 2025 have sadly died. And Dave & Buster's corporate was not responding to my emails. But I had another idea, something I wanted to test out at the local franchise.

Okay, so we're walking in to Dave & Buster's at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. It has more arcades than I've ever seen in any single place in my life. This is actually kind of awesome, I have to say. I visited my local Dave & Buster's with my colleague Hazel just as the doors opened. It's huge. There's so many prizes. It's huge. It's like a cobweb.

Okay, so we're walking in to Dave & Buster's at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. It has more arcades than I've ever seen in any single place in my life. This is actually kind of awesome, I have to say. I visited my local Dave & Buster's with my colleague Hazel just as the doors opened. It's huge. There's so many prizes. It's huge. It's like a cobweb.

Okay, so we're walking in to Dave & Buster's at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. It has more arcades than I've ever seen in any single place in my life. This is actually kind of awesome, I have to say. I visited my local Dave & Buster's with my colleague Hazel just as the doors opened. It's huge. There's so many prizes. It's huge. It's like a cobweb.

They've got Minecraft, Aliens of Armageddon, Pac-Man Battle Royale. They've got axe throwing. Dave & Buster's at casino-esque entertainment prison. No clocks, no windows, engineered to make time disappear while you chase your tickets. I mean, this does seem legitimately fun in a slightly tawdry way.

They've got Minecraft, Aliens of Armageddon, Pac-Man Battle Royale. They've got axe throwing. Dave & Buster's at casino-esque entertainment prison. No clocks, no windows, engineered to make time disappear while you chase your tickets. I mean, this does seem legitimately fun in a slightly tawdry way.

They've got Minecraft, Aliens of Armageddon, Pac-Man Battle Royale. They've got axe throwing. Dave & Buster's at casino-esque entertainment prison. No clocks, no windows, engineered to make time disappear while you chase your tickets. I mean, this does seem legitimately fun in a slightly tawdry way.