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.
Dolly Parton didn’t waste the opportunity to celebrate the opening of her new destination and have a little fun at the expense of Buc-ee. This sparked comparisons between the two brands.
Country music icon Jolene officially opened Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee on June 24, marking one of the “Jolene” singer’s few public appearances this year. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Parton joked about why she decided to get into the travel stop business.
“I think some of you might want to know why I wanted to stop the truck,” Parton told the crowd. “Well, I couldn’t leave it to the Beavers,” she said, playfully drawing a laugh from the Buc-ee’s famous mascot.
Compare Dolly Parton’s new Tennesseean Travel Stop and Buc-ee’s, from the amenities each offers to where travelers across the country can find them.
What is Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop?
Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stops, located approximately 90 miles south of Nashville and just off Exit 22 of Interstate 65 in Cornersville, serves as the flagship store for a new chain of stores created in partnership with Parton, her longtime manager Danny Nozell, and Gregory H. Sachs, owner of the Tennessean Travel Stops brand.
“I’ve spent most of my life on the road, especially on buses,” Parton said when announcing the project. “After years of visiting greasy spoon cafes, truck stops, and roadside pit stops, we’ve come to understand what travelers want on the road.”
Inspired by these experiences, the Travel Center will feature gas stations for both passenger cars and commercial trucks, truck parking, a trucker lounge, dining options, shopping, live entertainment, and Tennessee-themed hospitality. Visitors can also stop by to enjoy DLY BBQ and a “Cup of Ambition” coffee inspired by Parton’s hit “9 to 5.”
The company says the Travel Stop was created to reimagine “what a roadside stop looks like for truckers, families and travelers of all kinds.”
How does it compare to Buc-ee’s?
Both brands target highway travelers, but Buc-ee’s takes a different approach.
The Texas-based chain is known for its large travel centers, fresh barbecue, baked goods, jerky, beaver nuggets, and a wide selection of branded merchandise. It is also known for its strict policy that prohibits most tractor trailers and commercial vehicles with trailers from parking there.
Industry observers say the policy helps Buc-ee maximize parking space for passenger vehicles and supports the company’s business model, which relies on large numbers of customers stopping by frequently to buy food, snacks and merchandise in addition to fuel.
This is in contrast to Dolly Parton’s Travel Stop, which was designed specifically with commercial truck drivers in mind and features a dedicated refueling area, parking and amenities, as well as services for the everyday traveler.
Where are Dolly’s Travel Stop and Buc-ee’s?
For now, Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop operates out of one location in Cornersville, Tennessee, but has been introduced as the new chain’s flagship store.
Buc-ee’s has roots in Texas and has grown into a multi-state chain with stores in Texas, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The company continues to expand and plans to open several more stores in the coming years.
According to the company’s website, Buc-ee’s plans to open the following stores:
- Ruston, Louisiana – 2027
- Kansas City, Kansas – 2027
- Gallaway, Tennessee – 2027
- St. Lucie, Florida – 2027
- Bern, Texas – 2027
- Monroe County, Georgia – 2027
- Mebane, NC – 2028
- Lafayette, Louisiana – 2028
- Ocala, Florida – 2029
- West Memphis, AR – 2029
- Oak Grove, Kentucky – 2029
- Hardeeville, South Carolina – 2031
Contributed by: James Powell & USA TODAY
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or X @athompsonUSAT..
