05/22/2026
Unfortunately we are losing too many businesses.
For nearly a quarter century, Cooter’s Place has been part of the Smoky Mountain experience, and today I want to share an important announcement with all of our friends and fans.
Our Smoky Mountain journey began in Gatlinburg back in 2002, where so many wonderful memories were made through the years. Later, we brought Cooter’s to nearby Pigeon Forge and continued building something very special with all of you. Now, after nearly a quarter century in the Smokies, we are preparing for our final season there.
For the rest of this season, we’re planning a wonderful lineup of events, celebrations, reunions, stories, music, laughter, and memories with the people who helped make The Dukes of Hazzard such a lasting part of American pop culture.
We are especially excited to welcome Catherine Bach, Tom Wopat, Byron Cherry, and Jeff Altman during this closing season, along with the wonderful staff here at Cooter’s who have loved and cared for our visitors through the years like family.
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have given us so much joy, and we hope fans will come celebrate with us one more time in the Smokies. We want these final months to be full of fun, friendship, and appreciation for the generations of people who have supported us.
And while this chapter is coming to a close, Cooter’s is not going away. We will still be going strong at Cooter’s in Music City, Nashville, Tennessee, and Cooter’s in the Valley, Luray, Virginia, and we look forward to welcoming fans there for many years to come.
This is not goodbye just yet. We still have a whole season ahead of us, and we intend to make it count.
Thank you for loving Cooter’s Place and for keeping the spirit of The Dukes of Hazzard alive all these years.
