Dave & Buster’s is a publicly traded company with a long history of ownership changes, rather than being owned by a single person or private parent. Originally founded in 1982 by David Corriveau and James “Buster” Corley, the concept grew through a series of investments and acquisitions. Over the years, ownership shifted from the founders to private equity and corporate owners, and it eventually became a public company traded on NASDAQ (ticker: PLAY). The largest owners today are institutional investors and a broad base of public shareholders rather than a single owner.

Key points about ownership structure

• Founders and early investors: The company started as a founder-led venture by Corriveau and Corley, with early financing and expansion support by Edison Brothers Stores, which at one point owned a majority stake to facilitate growth.

• Private equity and consolidation: Over time, ownership moved through private equity firms, including Wellspring Capital Management, which privatized the company in 2006, and Oak Hill Capital, which had stakes during various periods.

• Public markets: Dave & Buster’s later completed an initial public offering in 2014, transforming ownership into a broad array of public shareholders, including institutional investors such as BlackRock, Vanguard, and other large asset managers, along with individual investors.

• Current ownership landscape: As a public company, there is no single majority owner. Instead, ownership is distributed among thousands of shareholders, with large institutional holders typically exerting the most influence on major decisions. The exact share percentages change with trading and share repurchases.

If you’d like, I can pull up the latest stock ownership details (top institutional holders and their approximate percentages) and summarize recent insider activity or any notable insider tranches.