‘Summer House’ Star Carl Radke Claims His Non-Alcoholic Bar Is ‘a Space for Everyone’
‘Summer House’ Star Carl Radke Claims His Non-Alcoholic Bar Is ‘a Space for Everyone’
Carl Radke has channeled his personal challenges into a new and meaningful project.
A year after his split from fiancée Lindsay Hubbard, the Summer House star has been hard at work turning his vision of a non-alcoholic bar into reality.
Carl’s Soft Bar + Café, set to open in Brooklyn, N.Y., in January 2025, represents the culmination of his passion and perseverance.
“It’s been a journey, for sure,” Radke, 39, tells PEOPLE. “But I feel like this is my calling. I’ve just had this drive inside of me that’s said, ‘You’ve got to go for this.'”
Carl’s concept is unique, offering something that, to his knowledge, doesn’t yet exist. “What I want to do doesn’t exist yet. And it’s amazing to be in a position where I can introduce a new concept and help redefine the non-alcoholic industry,” he says.
“I’m really proud of what we’re creating and what I hope will help a lot of people feel like they have a place to go for the first time.”
The idea for Soft Bar + Café first emerged during season 8 of Summer House, inspired by Carl’s journey to sobriety from alcohol and cocaine addiction.
“I got sober in January 2021. And over the last three and a half years, I’ve been looking for places in New York where I can go out and enjoy myself without feeling that pressure,” Carl explains. “And everywhere I went, it always felt like something was missing.”
Soft Bar + Café aims to fill that gap, providing a social space for people who want to enjoy a night out without compromising their lifestyle. “This isn’t a ‘sober bar.’ This is a space for everyone,” Radke emphasizes.
“Yes, if you’re sober, this is the place for you. But it’s also for those who embrace a healthier way of life without alcohol. It’s a place for pregnant women to go out; for friends who want to be social without the hangover in the morning; or for people who are curious about taking a break from drinking, but don’t know where to start.”
Carl hopes to change the way people think about socializing without alcohol. “I want to break the stigma, in a way,” he says.
“It can be hard, when you don’t drink alcohol, to navigate socializing at night without having a drink in your hand. But I want everybody to feel that they can walk into Soft Bar and feel empowered because they have something for themselves.”
Describing the concept as “mindful consumption,” Radke notes that the menu will feature “balanced, inventive, functional beverages with high-quality ingredients crafted using cutting-edge techniques that just happen to be non-alcoholic.”
Notably, you won’t see the term “mocktails” on the menu.
Radke is quick to share credit for the project’s success. “This isn’t Carl Radke’s Soft Bar,” he insists.
“This is a team; a group of people who are giving their expertise and energy and support to make this a reality for everyone to enjoy. I couldn’t do it without them, and without my friends who have rallied around me,” he says, mentioning his Summer House co-stars like Amanda Batula, Paige DeSorbo, Ciara Miller, Jesse Solomon, West Wilson, and Gabby Prescod—many of whom supported Radke at a launch event for the brand earlier in August.
Reflecting on the journey, Carl says, “I pinch myself all the time, like, ‘How the hell did I get so lucky to get here?’ But it feels so right; like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
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