Early mornings come quickly for Ashley Bowling, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at EASTside Magazine. Coffee in hand, she’s out the door before most of the city has settled into the day, driving one child north, another south, moving through a routine that rarely slows down with three kids. By mid-morning, she’s at her desk, working through emails, edits, and the steady flow of decisions that keep EASTside Magazine, and her newly-founded tour company, Locals Know ATX, moving forward.
“There were all these incredible people with unique backgrounds and stories. But those stories were getting lost.”
In late afternoon, Ashley’s back in the car again, heading to school pickups and soccer practices, often responding to emails from the sidelines or taking in a moment of stillness to reflect, read a book, or get her steps in. The day stretches from early morning to late evenings, constantly shifting between roles of mother, strategizer, designer, editor, tour planner, and visionary, without a clear break between them.
“Balance is a myth. If I try to balance it all well, I most often come up short. It’s more about being present in whatever I’m doing in the moment and enjoying it,” Ashley explains.
As owner and editor, Ashley leads the magazine through every stage of production, from concepting stories to designing layouts and managing the business behind the scenes. Even after a decade, much of the work still runs through her hands. “People would probably be surprised that I design most of the magazine,” she laughs.
That hands-on approach has been part of the work from the beginning. When Ashley and her husband, Will Bowling, launched the magazine in 2016, they wanted to tell the stories of their neighbors in East Austin, a community they had come to know and love after moving to the Cherrywood neighborhood eight years prior.
“There were all these incredible people with unique backgrounds and stories,” Ashley explains. “But those stories were getting lost.” At the time, much of the media coverage in East Austin felt surface-level, focused more on trends than on the people who shaped the neighborhood. The magazine became a way to document something more lasting, while also navigating the realities of a rapidly changing city. “Gentrification was happening, and it still is,” Ashley comments. “But we can still bring people together and find common ground.”
The early days of building the publication were defined by persistence and a willingness to figure things out as they went. At home, they were not only starting a business but also navigating life with two three-year-olds. “It was the hardest year of our lives,” Ashley remembers. Still, the work continued. “We had a double stroller with the kids on top, magazines on bottom,” she grins. “We’d go up and down those hills perfecting our pitching arm, delivering magazines.”
“Gentrification was happening, and it still is. But we can still bring people together and find common ground.”
Over time, the magazine grew alongside the city, adapting to changes in how people interact with information while staying grounded in its original purpose. “So much has changed since those early days. The way people consume media and make decisions has shifted. We’ve had to shift with that.”
Even with those technical changes, and a tiny, but mighty, team beside her now, the core of the work has remained. “We’re storytellers at heart,” Ashley continues. “And we’ve built these long-term relationships with people and businesses in the community, which is the best part.”
Through new ventures like travel writing partnerships and Locals Know ATX Food Tours, which hosts barbecue and taco tours every weekend, Ashley has found ways to bring storytelling into physical experiences, allowing people to engage with Austin and any destination in a more immediate way.
Looking ahead, Ashley is less focused on defining a fixed path and more interested in continuing to evolve alongside the need for creative storytelling and connection. “I don’t know what the next ten years will look like,” she laughs. “I couldn’t have predicted the last ten.”
What she does know is what has carried her this far: showing up, staying present, and continuing to create space for the people and stories that define Austin.
“We’re storytellers at heart. And we’ve built these long-term relationships with people and businesses in the community, which is the best part.”
Advice : “Choose an idea that brings you the most joy and can be monetized. That way it becomes fulfilling and sustainable.” She adds, “There will be parts of the job that you do not enjoy; that’s okay. But as you grow, hire the people to do those parts that you do not love.”
Favorite Part : “The relationships we’ve built with business owners through the years and the crazy-talented creatives on our team.”
Contact:
eastsideatx.com
eastsideatx.com/foodtours
@eastsideatxmag
@localsknowatx
