Tucked into the foothills of East Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood has become almost as renowned as its vivacious namesake, Dolly Parton, who was born nearby before becoming a bestselling country singer, actress, author and philanthropist. Recently ranked the No. 1 theme park in the U.S. and No. 10 in the world based on reviews by Tripadvisor users, the Appalachian destination attracts more than 3 million visitors annually — making it Tennessee’s most-visited ticketed attraction.
Home to more than 50 rides and coasters along with world-class entertainment and tons of family fun, the 165-acre theme park sits next to Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Park, two four-star resorts, and several dinner shows that offer memorable experiences in the Smokies. An assortment of 30 shops placed strategically throughout the park, totaling 38,146 square feet of retail space, offer unique merchandise, souvenirs and mementos.
“Everything we do is all about creating memories worth repeating, so as they’re sipping coffee from their mug at home or putting on that souvenir T-shirt, they have great memories of what they experienced,” explains Brandon Smith, vice president of merchandise and games at Dollywood Parks and Resorts. “The goal is for them to think about that experience and extend that out to the home, so they want to return.”
Here’s how Dollywood creates a memorable retail experience that keeps guests coming back.
Distinctively themed
With retail locations spread throughout the park, each shop inside Dollywood must create a unique experience to draw in guests.
Visitors can buy souvenir mugs that feature some of Dolly Parton’s most popular lyrics.
Photos: Don Fields Photography
“We have the opportunity to create a lot of themes and take advantage of various trends in the marketplace in addition to traditional souvenirs,” says Sandy Doherty, director of merchandise and games at Dollywood Parks and Resorts. For example, as guests enter the park and head down Showstreet, shops like Gazebo Gifts supply the typical necessities they’ll need to stay comfortable all day, such as headwear, sunscreen, sunglasses and shirts.
Further down the street, stores like Traditions offer fashionable southern-inspired apparel and accessories from brands like Simply Southern and Kerusso. Meanwhile, Mountain Laurel Home provides decor and furnishings like soaps, candles, linens and gifts, and The Southern Pantry stocks specialty food products and kitchen accessories.
Continuing up the hill toward the rides, the merchandise focuses on ride souvenirs that commemorate attractions like Wild Eagle and Dollywood Express. The historic train is a remnant from the park’s roots as Rebel Railroad, which first opened on the site in 1961. Temple’s Mercantile, located across from the depot, offers train-themed merchandise like T-shirts, picture frames, mugs and snow globes so guests can take the experience home with them.
While the mountainous surroundings inspire some of the Appalachian-themed merchandise, the park’s namesake songstress lends her iconic image to the product assortment, as well. “Of course, we have souvenirs and necessities, but it’s all about Dolly,” Smith says. “Dolly is the growth engine for our park, so we celebrate her as much as we can, particularly in retail.”
In fact, Dolly’s Fan Shop recently debuted inside the park’s new Dolly Parton Experience, a collection of curated exhibits and interactive elements that opened this year to highlight Parton’s legendary career. “About 85% of that [merchandise in the Fan Shop] is exclusive product that we have developed specifically for that store,” Doherty says.
Dollywood’s product development and procurement team partners with vendors to create custom products. Smith says, “We don’t have tons of product that you’re going to find in any other gift shops in this area.”
Colorful name-drop T-shirts, hats and other apparel are fun souvenirs for people to take home with them after their visit to Dollywood.
These unique and exclusive products are key to creating a distinctive retail experience in each store throughout the park, which sells more than 19,000 SKUs in total. “We strive to limit the amount of repetition when it comes to product, so as guests are walking by, they don’t see a table set and think it’s the same thing they just saw two shops ago,” Smith says. “Our guests want unique products, so we purposely do not purchase products that they will see on the Gatlinburg strip or the Pigeon Forge area. We really strive to be unique.”
Making memories
While each store showcases a unique merchandising theme, the goal is to offer a range of products that appeal to guests from every generation. “We have a very family-friendly mix of rides, shows and attractions throughout the park,” Smith says, “so if any guest of any age visits this park, there’s something for everybody to do.” And, of course, there’s a full spectrum of souvenirs for them to buy.
While younger kids gravitate toward the bubble wands and plush toys sold throughout the park — especially at Cozy Bear, the one-stop-shop for all things related to play — adult visitors tend to pick up shirts, hoodies and hats, making apparel Dollywood’s most popular product category. “Surprisingly, hoodies and fleece sell all season long,” Doherty says, “even when it’s 95 degrees outside.”
Guests will find the widest assortment of Dollywood gear and goods at the flagship souvenir store, Emporium. Located at the exit, Emporium offers one final shopping stop as guests leave the park through the 9,700-square-foot store.
“It carries a bit of everything from around the park,” Smith says, spanning Dolly Parton and Dollywood themed merchandise, ride-specific products, a kids’ section and plenty of apparel and accessories for men and women of all ages. “From a growth engine perspective, that store has done wonders,” he says. “Retail has really driven a lot of our sales growth over the past few years.”
In addition, the Craftsman’s Valley region of Dollywood keeps the Appalachian trades of the past alive through daily demonstrations as well as several make-your-own-craft experiences.
Festivities for every season
To freshen up the product mix throughout the year, Dollywood’s retail stores lean into seasonal festivals for merchandising inspiration.
“We purposefully support the different festivals at Dollywood through products, colors and art styles,” Doherty says. “We change out product with each festival so that the guest has a cohesive experience while they’re walking through the park.”
For example, Dollywood’s Flower and Food Festival celebrates springtime in the Smokies, showcasing more than 500,000 blooms and other plants impressively shaped into towering topiaries taking the form of bears, birds and other Smoky Mountain critters. The merchandising team incorporates each festival’s themes and color palettes into custom garments, products, and visual displays throughout the retail stores. “We don’t necessarily use the exact festival logo, but we support it with, say, a Dollywood-themed shirt with flowers, butterflies or topiaries on it,” Doherty says.
These festival-themed products pop up throughout Dollywood’s retail stores — like one of the front table sets inside Emporium, which is switched out regularly to feature merchandise for the current celebration. These seasonal updates keep the product selection fresh, particularly for season pass holders who visit frequently.
“Having them see different looks and products is very important to us,” Smith says.
Family dynamic
Families come to Dollywood from all over — as far away as the West Coast, Texas, Canada and beyond. “That multi-generational family is really our target demographic, not just at the park but in retail,” Smith says.
The shops also have plenty of merchandise for kids, including apparel, plush toys and more.
Dollywood’s shops invite families to make memories by creating comfortable spaces to engage. Several stores feature cozy covered porches furnished with rocking chairs where guests can relax. “The goal is to drive home that southern hospitality and homeyness,” says Smith.
Treating customers like house guests is what shapes the Dollywood experience throughout the park. Doherty explains that the key to the destination retailer’s success is the servant leadership philosophy of putting others first.
In fact, the company refers to its 4,000 employees (including 400 retail employees) as hosts “because we’re hosting our guests,” she shares. “If we take care of our hosts, our hosts are going to take care of the guests. We’re not out to make money; we’re here to take care of others, and the money will follow.”
