Watch Dolly Parton celebrate the grand opening of Tennessee Travel Stop
The country music legend has opened the first Tennessean Travel Stop location in Cornersville, Tennessee.
CORNERVILLE, Tenn. — On opening day, traffic began to build up on the streets as travelers made their way to Dolly Parton’s Tennessean Travel Stop.
“Dolly is on her way,” Tennessean Travel Stop owner Gregory Sachs told reporters at the new truck destination in Cornersville, noting that Parton will cut the ribbon on Wednesday, June 24 at 2 p.m.
Anticipation was high at destinations along the new Interstate 65 road this morning. The 80-year-old country legend arrived wearing a blue and pink fringe ensemble and her signature stiletto heels.
The “9 to 5” singer used the moment to make a playful joke about Travel Stop’s competitor, Buc-ee’s.
“I think some people want to know why I wanted to stop the truck,” Parton said. “Well, I couldn’t leave it to Beaver.”
Parton ended the short ceremony with a ribbon cutting, complete with a flurry of colorful confetti featuring her signature butterflies.
The message drew cheers from guests who spent the afternoon exploring the grounds, sampling food from DLY BBQ and sampling “Cup of Ambition” coffee, waiting to see if Parton would make an appearance. Previous promotional materials for the grand opening stated that the country music icon would not be participating in the public celebration.
The appearance will be one of Parton’s few public events in 2026.
The East Tennessee star returned to Dollywood in March to begin the theme park’s 41st season after missing several appearances while recovering from health issues and grieving the death of husband Karl Dean. During that appearance, Parton told fans that she was rebuilding herself “mentally, emotionally and physically.”
Parton, who has been open about dealing with kidney stones, said in May that she was working with doctors because her “immune system and digestive system have been completely thrown out of whack over the last three years.”
What is Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop?
Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, located at Exit 22 of Interstate 65 in Cornersville, officially opened to the public on June 24th. The flagship store was created as a partnership between Ms. Parton, her longtime manager Danny Nozell, and Gregory H. Sachs, owner of the Tennessean Travel Stop brand.
Inspired by Parton’s decades traveling the country in her tour bus and her East Tennessee roots, the destination combines fuel services, dining, shopping, live music and Tennessee-themed hospitality.
Brian West is a music reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Instagram, TikTok, and X as @BryanWestTV.
