Dolly Parton Is Breaking into the Truck Stop Business to ‘Fill a Void’ on Highways: ‘A Place That Feels Like Home’

Dolly Parton already has a successful theme park and multiple hotels under her belt — and now she’s ready to expand her empire onto the open road.

The Grammy-winning country superstar, 79, announced this week that she will be partnering with the team behind the Tennessean Travel Stop to give their flagship location in Cornersville, Tenn., a Dolly Parton makeover. 

By the early summer of 2026, the establishment will be rebranded and transformed into Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, according to the official website. 

But the location won’t just have Parton’s name on it. It’s set to combine the star’s signature style with the brand’s Tennessee spirit so weary travelers and truck drivers alike will finally have a place to stop that “feels like home.” 

“I have spent the bulk of my life on the road, and more specifically on a bus,” Parton says in a statement on the website. “All the years spent visiting greasy spoon cafes, truck stops, and roadside pit stops have given me an understanding of what travelers desire on the road.”

She continues, “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.”

Parton’s new venture is meant to cater to both family road trippers and truck drivers, while also bringing new jobs and “attention to underserved counties across Tennessee and beyond,” per the website. 

While the first location will be in Cornersville, additional locations are expected to open in Tennessee and nationwide. More details on those spots will be revealed in 2026.

As for its flagship rebrand, the team is keeping specific design details a secret until the opening, however the website notes that “the venture is already moving through the necessary permitting and partnership phases.”

The site also teases an “evolved travel experience” for travelers to look forward to at the refreshed flagship, which will remain open while undergoing renovations.

Parton has been keeping busy, especially with the grand opening of her new SongTeller Hotel coming up in June 2026.

The singer-songwriter revealed in October that her Nashville hotel is officially accepting reservations, and her new museum, located on the third floor of the hotel, Dolly’s Life of Many Colors, is also available for bookings. 

Her theme park, Dollywood, was also crowned America’s “favorite theme park” for the third year in a row back in May by the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA). The Tennessee park, located in the Great Smoky Mountains near where Parton grew up, opened to the public in 1986. Parton co-owns the theme park with Herschend Family Entertainment.

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During an exclusive interview for PEOPLE’s cover story published earlier in November, the country star said she plans on keeping busy despite her 80th birthday coming up in January. 

“People say, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what? Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started,” Parton told PEOPLE. 

She continued, “I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine . . . I think there’s a lot to be said about age. If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!’ I ain’t got time to dwell on that. That’s not what I’m thinking about.”