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Dolly Parton’s Next Business Venture Is… A Truck Stop
It doesn’t make any sense at all… but it actually makes a ton of sense.
This morning, Dolly Parton announced that her next business venture, which is unlike anything else she’s done yet. We all know Dolly is an iconic musician, a pop culture icon, and has her hugely successful Dollywood theme park, as well as a perfume line, makeup brand, wine company and many other very girly, sparkly things.
But she’s now getting into the gas station business.
Dolly announced this morning that she’s partnering with the team behind the Tennessean Travel Stop, to rebrand and its flagship Cornersville, Tennessee location set to open by Summer 2026, called Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop.
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I’m intrigued…
Dolly says she has spent most of her years on the road, riding in her tour bus to go play shows in cities all over the country. She knows how important a good truck stop is to refuel not only the vehicle, but herself, which means she actually knows way more about this business than I honestly would have thought about:
“I have spent the bulk of my life on the road, and more specifically on a bus. All the years spent visiting greasy spoon cafes, truck stops, and roadside pit stops have given me an understanding of what traveler’s desire on the road.
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. I believe we will fill a void out there on the highways, all while bringing the heart and soul of Tennessee.”
Of course, half of those trips were spent with Dolly on the bus back to Tennessee, so it makes sense for this first location to open in her home state.
The Tennessean Travel Stop brand is known well locally, and Gregory H. Sachs, Chairman/CEO of the Tennessean Travel Stop and Sachs Capital Group, and he wants it to be a place where travelers from all over the world feel at home:
“The Tennessean has long been a ‘home away from home’ for truck drivers, travelers, and locals alike. Our roots in this community run deep—we’ve created jobs, built connection, and welcomed generations of people through our doors. This new partnership allows us to carry that legacy forward in a way that celebrates everything special about Tennessee.
Together with Dolly and her team, we’re reimagining what a travel stop can be—transforming it into a warm, inviting destination where everyone feels welcome to slow down, kick up their feet, and stay awhile.”
Right now, they’re starting with the Cornersville location, but will eventually expand.
The truck stops will combine hospitality, retail, and entertainment elements with Dolly very much being the inspiration for the aesthetic and many other aspects, so I imagine it will be the prettiest place to stop for gas and use the bathroom that I’ve ever seen. Dolly Parton is going to somehow redefine the truck stop business… who would have thought.
I love a good gas station, I’ll be honest, and of course I’m obsessed with Dolly, so I WILL be going out of my way to refuel at Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop next summer.
Truly, there is nothing this woman can’t do and she continues to surprise with her career and business moves as she approaches her landmark 80th birthday in January. A queen…
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