Dolly Parton's Travel Stop Opens in Tennessee, Rivals Buc-ee's

Dolly Parton's Tennessean Travel Stop opened in late June off I-65 in Cornersville, Tennessee, about an hour south of Nashville. The 25,000-square-foot facility on 18 acres offers a dog park, a trucker lounge, showers, a laundry room, a Southern-style buffet, a coffee bar, and live music on weekends, according to a review of the stop.

The travel stop competes directly with popular roadside chains such as Buc-ee's, Love's, and Wawa. Unlike Buc-ee's, which operates the world's largest convenience store at nearly 80,000 square feet in Luling, Texas, Dolly's stop is smaller but still busy, the review said. The parking lot was comparable to a typical QuikTrip.

Amenities include a fenced-in dog park named Doggy Parton, a mural by artist Britt Flood, and a retro tour bus photo opportunity. Inside, the convenience store sells typical gas-station items alongside branded merchandise such as a $14.95 souvenir magnet and a $29.95 pink tank top. The restroom features black-and-white portraits of Parton and was described as sparkling clean.

Dining options include a grab-and-go BBQ counter, a full-service restaurant offering a $21.99 Southern buffet, and Cup of Ambition, a coffee bar selling drinks like a $4.95 strawberry-acai refresher. The buffet includes mac and cheese and fried chicken, while the grab-and-go offers a $9.99 brisket sandwich. Both outlets sell Dollywood's famous cinnamon bread for $12.99, a product previously available only at the theme park in Pigeon Forge.

Fuel is supplied by Exxon, with prices in line with nearby stations, the review said. The travel stop is open 24/7 and draws both truckers and tourists.