Dolly Parton’s First Tennessee Truck Stop Is Officially Open — Take a Look Inside!

NEED TO KNOW

• Dolly Parton surprised fans at the grand opening of her Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville on June 24

• The travel stop features Dolly-themed merchandise, a Southern restaurant, a dog park, and a mural by Britt Flood

• Amenities include a trucker’s lounge with showers, a 24/7 BBQ spot, and Dolly’s Cup of Ambition coffee shop

It’s time to fuel up on your road trip with a cup of ambition!

Dolly Parton‘s highly anticipated Tennessean Travel Stop has officially opened. The one-of-a-kind roadside rest stop in Cornersville, Tenn. held a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 24 to mark the grand opening — which even included a surprise appearance from the country music icon herself.

“I’m sure some of you want to know why I wanted a truck stop,” the “Jolene” singer, 80, told fans at the event, per The Tennesseean. “Well, I couldn’t leave it to beavers,” she quipped, in reference to the mascot of the popular Texas-based rest stop chain Buc-ee’s.

Parton’s new destination features a host of amenities perfect for families and friends needing a quick pit stop or truckers who need a “home away from home,” according to the website. 

Of course, there’s an abundance of fuel pumps, EV charging stations and parking, but inside, travelers will find plenty of Dolly-themed merchandise, food, beverages and photo opportunities. 

The general store — full of apparel, gifts, souvenirs and road-trip essentials — features a glittery chandelier made of guitars. The full-service restaurant offering Southern classics seats guests next to a stage ready for live performances. 

DLY BBQ, the grab-and-go restaurant, serves up slow-smoked meats and all the fixings 24/7. Meanwhile, those needing a little pick-me-up can stop at Dolly’s Cup of Ambition for coffee and pastries. The coffee line was created in partnership with the family-owned Community Coffee brand. 

The trucker’s lounge comes complete with luxurious seating areas, showers and full-service laundry facilities. 

Outside, there’s a patio, upstairs event space and even Doggy Parton, a fenced dog park. During the grand opening celebration, Wags & Walks, a local rescue, brought adoptable puppies for people to meet.

A beautiful mural created by Southern artist Britt Flood and commissioned exclusively for the travel stop in collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development adorns one of the exterior walls. Measuring 40 feet wide and 13 feet tall, the piece combines the rolling pastures of Cornersville with silhouettes of the Great Smoky Mountains. 

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Gregory H. Sachs, a partner at Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stops, says he initially pitched the idea for the destination to Parton’s manager, Danny Nozell, and the team “loved it right away.”

In a press release shared with PEOPLE, he says the stars’ years of life on the road gave her an understanding of what was missing, and she saw the chance to create a place built on “Tennessee hospitality, worth stopping for, not just stopping at.”

Read the original article on People