Dive Brief:
- Dolly Parton has partnered with the owners of The Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee, to relaunch the site as the first Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, according to the new banner’s website.
- While the owners are not sharing many details, the redesigned travel center is expected to open in early summer 2026. Additional locations will be announced next year.
- Dolly’s travel centers will target underserved areas of not only Tennessee but additional states as well, according to the website.
Dive Insight:
As destination travel centers like Buc-ee’s and Wally’s expand and gain loyal followings, a new chain featuring one of country music’s biggest names is preparing to throw its hat in the ring.
Details on the new stores are scant at this point, with the new venture’s website only noting that it’s moving through the permitting and partnership process at pace and that the travel center in Cornersville will remain open during the renovation. Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stops plans to tap into the “unmistakable Tennessee spirit of Dolly Parton” for its stores, the website noted, and will feature “modern amenities, curated dining, and authentic regional retail.”
“The Tennessean has long been a ‘home away from home’ for truck drivers, travelers, and locals alike,” said Gregory H. Sachs, chairman and CEO of the Tennessean Travel Stop and Sachs Capital Group. “This new partnership allows us to carry that legacy forward in a way that celebrates everything special about Tennessee.”
Founded in 1974, the Tennessean’s lone store offers a wide variety of food, including ice cream, donuts, breakfast platters, sandwiches and entrees like steak, grilled or fried chicken and seafood with sides. The store also has a large indoor seating area, happy hour and occasional live music.
Parton noted on the website that years of being on the road in tour buses has given her a good feel for what travelers want from a roadside pit stop.
“Whether you are driving a truck, a bus, or a car, you want a place that feels like home and recharges you for the rest of your journey,” she said. “I believe we will fill a void out there on the highways, all while bringing the heart and soul of Tennessee.”
