Dollywood Shopping

Shopping at Dollywood is the real deal. Unlike other theme parks, you don’t find loads of cheap character merchandise. Dollywood doesn’t have any cartoon or superhero characters to promote. Except for Dolly, herself, that is. You’ll find her face on a few cookbooks and packages, but there’s no little stuffed Dolly Partons in bins everywhere.

The focus here is authentic items with a focus on handcrafted goods made right there in the park. They have a mission to keep the craftsman spirit alive, to “make things like they used to be.” You’ll find live demonstrations in woodworking, leather tooling, glass blowing, blacksmithing, and more. It’s pretty cool!

So let’s work our way around the park and see what kind of treasures we can find.

Showstreet

Starting from the entrance to the park and heading right, we don’t come to a proper retail location that’s not food-related until we reach Traditions, which is almost in Market Square.

Traditions

Here, you’ll find t-shirts, caps, and gift items with a bright, colorful southern feel, including brands like Simply Southern and Kerusso. You’ll find a lot of faith-based merchandise, lots of scripture verses and items with the words “blessed” on them.

Adventures in Imagination

From Showstreet we head right, down into Adventures in Imagination, or “Dollyland” proper. This is where you’ll find the most Dolly concentration–her museum, tour bus, her “My People” family show can all be found here. You’ll also find:

Dolly’s Closet

“Her style, your size” is the tagline here. Inside you’ll find lots of romantic, flowy women’s apparel and accessories with a country-western bent.

Jukebox Junction

Walking across to Jukebox Junction, the well-themed 50’s area is only home to one retail location, and that’s basically the gift shop for the Lightning Rod coaster.

Hi-Octane

There is a lot of cute stuff in here, from fun t-shirts, model classic cars, and lots of Lightning Rod gummy candy. As I mentioned in my food post, cars and gummy candy just belong together.

Rivertown Junction

Circling back up to Rivertown Junction and Market Square, you’ll find a fun Tin Sign Shoppe on the far side of the Back Porch Theater. You’ll also find Dollywood’s newest home furnishings shop.

Mountain Laurel HOME

Situated by the water and with an actual working waterwheel inside, this fun shop holds lots of nature- and cabin-inspired decor. I have found some really pretty things here in the past, but I’m not sure how much the merchandise has changed since it was the Whitewater Nature Shop. It sounds like it’s gone more upscale.

Also in Rivertown Junction, up the steep hill near Craftsman’s Valley, you’ll find the Smoky Mountain Christmas Cottage, a small and charming year-round Christmas shop. You’ll also see one of the more popular craftsmen at the top of the hill:

Rainbow Glass Factory

Several times during the day you can watch a craftsman demonstrate the art of glass blowing. There is a little patio with an awning perfect for viewing and hearing him explain the process. You can even pay to do a make-your-own ornament experience. Inside the shop, you can purchase these creations and many others. It’s a beautiful shop with the light catching the colored glass wherever you look. 

The Village

There aren’t any retail locations down in Country Fair except for several pay-to-play carnival games. Up in The Villiage, however, is one of the larger shops.

Temple Mercantile

Now called a “Warehouse and Candy Store” this is the place for old-fashioned toys, candy, and novelty items like real lye soap and wooden whistles.

Also at the far end of The Village is Costner’s Magic Shop, positioned to catch riders as they exit the train. Do stop for a magic show if there’s one going on–it’s super cute and fun for kids.

Craftsman’s Valley

Now we come to the absolute mecca of shopping in Dollywood is Craftsman’s Valley, in the long stretch of park that leads up to Blazing Fury and the Tennessee Tornado.

Smoky Creek Leather & Hat Co.

Take a walk around this shop just for the smell! It’s amazing! Just past the Porch Sitter’s Union, you’ll find this leather shop and the Batter’s Box right across from each other with a covered walkway between. On the outside of the leather shop is a craftsman who sometimes sits at a counter and tools belts and other items while answering questions from guests.

The Batter’s Box

This booth makes hand-carved baseball bats in various sizes. You can find one with your name on it or have one made on the spot.

Valley Wood Carvers

Walking up the valley is three adjoining shops, the first of which is a woodcarver’s. This is the place for hand-carved clocks and carousel horses and loads of other handmade art. In the back of the store is where you’ll catch the craftsmen working on their next project.

Taste Traders

Next in line is a yummy shop full of food-related purchases. And they usually have several free samples so you can try before you buy. Inside is lots of jams and jellies, apple butters, cookbooks, dry mixes, mustards, and chutneys. There are also lots of kitchen items and decor as well. It’s really a fun shop to look around if you like to cook. Or eat.

Hillside General Store

The third in this trio of shops is the big General Store. You can find all sorts of items in here, from toys and candy, to soaps and lotions.

Custom Glassworks

Across the street from the woodcarver’s is the Custom Glassworks shop, filled mostly with cute little figurines.

Stone-Penland Pottery

Across from the General Store is the wonderful potter’s shed. It’s a large barn filled with beautifully glazed pieces for all uses. There are cookers and honeypots, all kinds of place settings, and mugs galore, all in beautiful finishes. This is one of my favorite shops in the park, just because of the skill.

Old Flames Candles

Back across the street and next to the General Store is the old-fashioned candle shop. Here you can dip your own creations, so as they burn they will reveal all the different colors. You can also watch a craftsman skillfully cut and form large dipped candles, revealing the stripes of color inside.

Blacksmith & Foundry

One of the most exciting shops, you can often find a blacksmith or two pounding away outside this barn. Inside, you’ll find wrought iron signs and decoration, wind chimes, and custom-crafted yard signs. Once I saw them make a mold for a custom sign in sand, pour the molten metal into it and lift it out later perfectly formed.

Eagle’s Nest Shop

By this time, we are up near where the eagles and the Wings of America show is, and here you can find the cute Eagle’s Nest Shop. Needless to say, it has lots of eagle-related items, but also lots of other birds and nature-inspired items. Purchases here support the American Eagle Foundation, “dedicated to preserving and protecting the bald eagle and other birds of prey.”

Lucky 7 Gem Shop

Right before you get the opportunity to mine gems for yourself, there is an open-air gem shop showcasing pretty crystals and geodes for sale.

Wilderness Pass

Once you get to the top of the hill and turn the corner, you are into Wilderness Pass, the home of the FireChaser Express and Wild Eagle. My favorite retail location in the entire park is the gift shop at the exit of the Wild Eagle coaster. 

Eagle’s Flight Outfitters

Aside from the ride-related  “I am an eagle” and “I am a chicken” t-shirts, this gift shop is an outdoor outfitters paradise. Here you can find Teva sandals, colorful Kavu bags and accessories, and a whole wealth of Life Is Good t-shirts. It’s all high-quality items that you don’t expect to find in a theme park! There is also a wall of candy and eatables on the far wall.

There is also the Volunteer Supply Company which sells FireChaser Express and fireman-related goods by the side of the walkway.

Timber Canyon

The only retail location in Timber Canyon is another small shop, The Mine Shaft, selling various Dollywood-branded items and a few cute light-up things.

Walking past the glorious Thunderhead roller coaster and down the winding path to the left, we will come back down to Showstreet for the ultimate exit through the gift shop.

The Emporium

Dollywood doesn’t have many rides that exit you right into a gift shop like many theme parks. But they make up for it with The Emporium. You don’t have to exit the park to visit it, but you have to walk all the way through it in order to exit the park. Here you can find every Dollywood, Smoky Mountain, Pigeon Forge, and Tennessee-branded item possible on mugs, t-shirts, magnets, pens, pouches, etc. etc. etc. This is also your last chance for fudge and a few other snacks.

Amazingly, I don’t seem to have a single picture of, or in, The Emporium. I guess I’m usually trying to find my way out! It’s not a direct path to the exit, in case you are wondering. They make it so you have to walk by at least some merchandise. So I’ll leave you with this photo from the internet (via Visual Terrain.)