Revival of Downtown Abilene Walking Tours kicks off after year-long closure

Downtown Abilene Walking Tours has ended its yearlong hiatus and will kick off with a reopening tour for the public Saturday.

Business owners Trevor and Gina Allen established the downtown tours in May 2018. The idea came to Trevor at work while reflecting on his 2013 cross-country biking expedition to Oregon.

"During the trip I stopped in San Francisco and went on a walking tour with a snazzily dressed hipster playing the ukulele, and I think that subconsciously planted a seed," he said.

With this experience as reference, he came up with his character, "Gus McDusty the cowboy poet," researched history for the city of Abilene and partnered with businesses to make stops along the downtown tour route.

The couple was able to maintain the side business while working other jobs for several years. However, in March 2023, they decided to put Downtown Abilene Walking Tours on pause.

"We were very busy, and something had to give. Sometimes the tours would make good income, and sometimes it was really slow, so we decided that the thing that had to give was the walking tour," Trevor said.

They used the yearlong break to reevaluate business strategies and feel prepared going into May 2024 with simplified goals to maintain their jobs and side passion projects.

"We are going to be pushing private tours to allow us flexibility in our schedule and only do one public tour per month," Trevor said.

The public tours will be every second Saturday of the month and will begin at Vera Hall Minter Park, 209 Cypress Street.

The tours are designed for locals and visitors alike to learn local history, visit businesses and have fun through interactive participation.

Each individual on the tour will receive complimentary free samples and a Downtown Abilene Walking Tour shopping bag with a coupon book for downtown businesses and have the opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt along the walking route.

The tours are about two hours, and tickets cost $18.81 — the year Abilene was founded — with a percentage of the proceeds going toward City Light Ministries.

"I work at City Light Ministries, which is a nonprofit working with brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness, poverty and different struggles," Trevor said.

"When we initially designed the tour, a portion of the proceeds went toward City Light, and we're going to continue that to help brothers and sisters become self sustainable, grow and get out of the situations they're in," he said.

Although the Downtown Abilene Walking Tours is part-time for the Allens, they are hopeful to expand in the future.

"I missed doing the tours. I am very relational and love to connect with others. I cherish the presence I have in downtown Abilene, and I'm happy to bring back the tours that bring downtown to life," Trevor said.

Discounts for military, seniors and groups are available. Kids under the age of 5 get to tour for free.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Revival of Downtown Abilene Walking Tours kicks off after year-long closure