08/25/2026
Dolly once told the story of meeting a young girl whose name was Jolene. The name stuck with her. She knew there was something in it. So, she sat down and wrote “Jolene.” AND “I Will Always Love You.” Two of the greatest songs of all time. In one day. Because Dolly knew what to do with inspiration when it found her.
That story has always felt like magic to me.
Because Dolly's Jolene became part of the inspiration for our Jolene. This place we have built. With love, sweat, stubbornness, community, and the belief that women deserve to be celebrated loudly and proudly.
She is the reason we have Jolene. And she is the reason we have Jolene Jolene.
Dolly Parton owned exactly who she was. Completely and unapologetically. In doing so, she gave everyone around her permission to do the same. She taught us that you could be feminine and fierce. Kind and powerful. Glittery and brilliant. You could come from nothing and build something enormous. You could own your own story. You could do things no one had done before.
And she did.
She came out from under the thumb of a man and forged a path that was entirely her own. She shaped music. She shaped culture. She built an empire. She gave back. She bridged gaps. She lived and loved hard.
I am gutted by the news of her passing. One of my biggest dreams was to have Dolly walk through our doors someday and see what her name helped inspire. I would have loved to show her this little corner of Atlanta built, in part, in her honor.
We will never get that chance.
But her name will live on here.
Dolly was a true champion of the people. And what a gift it was to have her.
Thank you for everything, Dolly. Thank you for your music, your courage, your kindness, your humor, your rhinestones, your heart, and for reminding generations of people that you can be exactly who you are and still change the world.
God bless you, Dolly.
We will always love you 🤍
