Dolly Parton Reinvents Tennessee Travel Center: A Full Upgrade from Coffee to Barbecue
Dolly Parton, in partnership with Gregory H. Sachs, transformed The Tennessean travel center off I-65 into Dolly's Tennessean, which opened on June 24. The new center offers a variety of dining options, trucker facilities, a dog park, and live music, with plans for future expansion.
On June 24, Dolly Parton cut the ribbon for Dolly's Tennessean, marking a new chapter for the 25,000-square-foot travel center. Located off I-65 in Cornersville, Tennessee, the center has been a stop for travelers for decades, and its collaboration with the country music legend has redefined its look and atmosphere.
"I always believed The Tennessean had the potential to grow into something bigger, and Dolly is the person I wanted to partner with to make that happen," Gregory H. Sachs, managing partner of Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop, said in an email. "She has spent most of her life on the road and knows what travelers need better than most."
When Sachs reached out to Parton, "it was a moment where everything fell into place," he said, and the idea for Dolly's Tennessean took shape. Sachs noted that the goal of the renovation was "to create a place that is unmistakably Dolly in style while maintaining the essence of a quality travel center."
That means offering plenty of self-serve food brands inside the center, providing rest facilities for professional drivers, and adding some Dolly-style touches for extra charm. "Dolly likes a little sparkle, so we incorporated guitars, rhinestone accents, and design elements inspired by her life on the road," Sachs said.
These elements include Dolly-themed murals, photos of the singer, and musical instruments adorning many of the rooms. A massive gift shop is filled with Dolly-themed merchandise such as T-shirts, mugs, and toys, with a chandelier made of dozens of guitars hanging overhead. Her silhouette has also become a new icon for the location, appearing on the building's facade and welcome signs.
Dining Takes Center Stage
Dolly's offers a variety of dining options. For customers in need of a caffeine boost, the center features Dolly's Cup of Ambition, a new coffee brand developed in partnership with Louisiana-based roaster Community Coffee. The coffee line currently offers light, medium, and dark roasts, and is expected to see wider distribution later this year, according to a press release.
In addition to the coffee line, Cup of Ambition is also the name of a food service station within Dolly's Tennessean, selling a variety of other drinks and pastries such as donuts and muffins. For barbecue enthusiasts, another food service station in the center, DLY BBQ, is open around the clock, with a menu featuring pulled pork, smoked brisket, and other BBQ staples, as well as breakfast sandwiches, sides, and more.
The center also operates a Southern-style "meat-and-three" full-service restaurant and offers Sweet Treats ice cream. DLY BBQ is open 24 hours, while the restaurant, Sweet Treats, and Cup of Ambition are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The main dining area at Dolly's features large screens on one wall and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows on the other, allowing plenty of natural light. The dining space is furnished with dozens of rustic wooden tables and a stage for live music performances.
Currently, Dolly's Tennessean features musicians on weekends, and Sachs said the company is working to expand the schedule to offer more acoustic and band performances. Additionally, Dolly's has an upstairs event space equipped with seating, TVs, and a bar.
Other Notable Amenities
Despite the renovation changing part of the travel center's look and atmosphere, Dolly's Tennessean continues to serve professional drivers. The center's trucker lounge features ample seating and TVs, and offers showers and washer-dryer combo units. A portrait of Parton hangs on one wall of the laundry room.
Outside, travelers with dogs can use the Doggy Parton dog park, a fenced grassy area with fencing decorated with silhouettes of Parton walking a dog. The area also has several trash bins with plastic bags provided for pet cleanup.
Parton's tour bus is also parked outside the travel center for people to see, next to a mural showcasing Tennessee's natural beauty in the shapes of a butterfly and a guitar.
According to Sachs, customer response to Dolly's Tennessean has been positive so far. "Seeing people's reactions when they walk through the doors for the first time is incredibly rewarding," he said. The company plans to expand the concept beyond Cornersville, but not immediately. "Right now, our focus is on making the Cornersville location the best it can be and creating an experience we look forward to bringing to future communities," Sachs said.