Fable & Fire

Some buildings hold more than walls. They hold whispers, footsteps, and the quiet persistence of every dreamer who came before. The Ellis Building that Fable & Fire resides in was built in 1895, back when downtown Rockwall was a horses-and-handshakes kind of place. This brick storefront has watched the town grow up around it for more than a century, evolving with each generation and housing one small business after another.

Over the years, people have stepped through these doors seeking something simple and essential: connection. A haircut. Groceries. A conversation. A hot meal. A moment of escape. Long before Fable & Fire existed, this address was already in the business of gathering people.

A Building With a Past

In 2021, when we first walked into the Ellis Building, it was partially vacant, worn down, and waiting on its next chapter. It had weathered time, tenants, and Texas storms, yet still stood with a kind of stubborn grace. The bones were beautiful, but the work ahead was… not for the faint of heart.

The floor hid surprises. The ceilings sagged. The walls carried the weight of a hundred years. Most people would have seen problems. We saw potential. We saw a place where stories could live again.

Our Labor of Love

So we rolled up our sleeves—literally. We spent days on ladders and nights covered in dust, rebuilding and reimagining every inch of this space. We repaired century-old brick, patched walls, built doors, hauled lumber, and painted trim. We gave this old building the kind of TLC you can’t fake.

We made design choices. We ate dinner on the unfinished floor. We laughed. We cried, sometimes from exhaustion, sometimes from hope. We poured ourselves into this place, not because it was easy, but because we believed in what it could become for Rockwall and for the people who would one day walk through these doors.

More Than a Restaurant. More Than a Bookstore.

Fable & Fire was never meant to be “just” a restaurant or “just” a bookstore. It was our chance to blend everything we love: good food, good stories, good people, and the kind of atmosphere that wraps around you like a warm memory.

We wanted it to feel sophisticated yet lived in. Undeniably Texan, but with a little European vibe. Fresh yet nostalgic. A place where you can sip a craft cocktail beside a shelf of well-loved books. Where Chef driven dishes leave the kitchen, vinyl records spin in the background, and laughter drifts across the patio on long summer evenings in downtown Rockwall.

What It Feels Like Today

Walk in on a slow morning and you’ll hear the hiss of the espresso machine, pages turning, quiet conversation, and the occasional burst of laughter. Sunlight hits the old brick just right, and the smell of fresh coffee, butter, and warm pastry hangs in the air.

Come back at night and the mood shifts. The lights dim, the bar begins to glow, the clink of glasses and low hum of conversation take over. Steaks hit the grill, cocktails are shaken and stirred, and the space that once felt like a quiet bookshop suddenly feels like your favorite neighborhood bistro tucked inside a historic building on Rockwall’s square.

Why We Do This

Beneath the atmosphere, beneath the cocktails, the vinyls, the art, and the shelves lined with stories… This place is built on something far more personal: a belief that hospitality is holy. That gathering matters. That meals can hold families together and conversations can change people.

We believe community is worth fighting for, even when the nights run long. This 1895 building gave us the canvas. Our staff gives it a heartbeat. Our blood, sweat, and tears gave it a soul. And every guest who walks through our doors adds another layer to its story. -One we are honored to steward.

The Legacy We’re Building

Fable & Fire isn’t the end of our story. It’s the beginning of a legacy we’re building for our family, for our team, for Rockwall, and for everyone who finds a little magic between these old brick walls.

Welcome to Fable & Fire. Thank you for choosing to be part of our story.

Matt & Vanessa Colman