Carl Radke is making some major progress with his non-alcoholic bar, Soft Bar + Café. After the Summer House cast member opened up about the business on Summer House Season 9, Episode 6, he is now sharing some very exciting new details about it.
Carl has been taking to his own personal Instagram account and the bar's business account, where he has shared some new information and images about the Greenpoint, Brooklyn café, which is slated to open later this year.
The business took to Instagram on March 20, where they posted a series of photos of the inside of the space, which is very much a work in progress. They also uploaded renderings of the café, which include a pastry case and a takeout window for patrons on the go. This is in addition to a photo of their interior color palette and materials, which include some exposed brick, colored concrete, and frosted glass.
"Dropping a little sneak peek inside Soft Bar + Cafe," read the caption of the post. "We're so excited to share more updates and can't wait to officially welcome you this summer!"
See inside Soft Bar + Café in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Carl, who is four years sober, also took to his Instagram Story earlier this month, where he shared some new photos of the space. In one photo, Carl captured someone working on the floors and snapped a photo of his view while standing on the business' roof.
Carl Radke posts a series of the work being done on his Soft Bar to his Instagram stories.
In January, Carl shared a different view of the interior of his forthcoming business:
Carl Radke reveals Soft Bar's mission
Carl also took to Instagram on March 9, where he shared a video hyping up the new café and revealed his "intentions" behind his business. In the video, Carl and his friends can be seen happily hanging out. "Soft Bar is all about...drinks with benefits, drinks with intentions, drinks with community," the video reads. "Come as you are."
"Attention to intentions," he continued in the caption of the post. "At Soft Bar, we encourage you to focus on having a good time just as you are, without alcohol. We're a first-of-its-kind bar and cafe for mindful consumption for anyone who's looking for a better way to sip and socialize!"
When is Soft Bar + Café opening?
Judging from the photos above, Soft Bar + Café is still very much a work in progress. But, it will be open this year, according to the business' Instagram bio. More specifically, it will open sometime this summer, according to the March 20 Instagram post, which is so exciting.
Why is Carl Radke opening Soft Bar + Café?
Carl, who has been very open about his sobriety over the past four years, has always wanted to help other people who are, or have been, in a similar position as him. This is just one way for him to do it, while normalizing sobriety.
He first floated the idea during Summer House Season 8, stating that he wanted to create a sober bar "to be a voice for things that I've been through and hopefully help other people."
During Summer House Season 9, Episode 6, Carl revealed that he was about to make the big announcement about the business, which he described in the episode as "a mindful consumption bar and café" that will serve "non-alcoholic drinks that are premium, more sophisticated, more elevated."
How Kyle Cooke is involved in Soft Bar + Café
Carl's longtime friend and Summer House cast member, Kyle Cooke, also has a role in the business. The Loverboy CEO spoke to The Daily Dish in February, where he explained what he's doing with Carl and how Loverboy will fit into the business. "I'm an advisor to the business," he explained.
"I think down the road, some activations [and] some [collaborations] are certainly in the works," he continued. "He's been so supportive of me and us and Loverboy, that we want to kind of reciprocate. [I'm] just excited for him to get the doors open."
Carl Radke reveals the meaning behind Soft Bar's name
Shortly after Carl announced that he would be opening the business, he spoke with Page Six, where he revealed the meaning behind the business' unique name. "While 'Soft drinks' is a term used in the U.S., it has a different connotation, typically representing soda," he said. "I wanted to define a new — and much needed — category and space, having 'soft drinks' or 'softs' be seen as functional and high quality non [alcoholic] beverages for adults."
"I was sharing this thought during a conversation with my co-founder as we discussed raising the bar in the non-[alcoholic] space, ultimately leading us to the name, 'Soft Bar,'" he concluded.
Carl Radke says opening Soft Bar + Café is his "calling"
It's safe to say that this business is Carl's passion. Carl spoke with People in August 2024, where he revealed how opening and developing the bar and café has put some major pep in his step. "It's been a journey for sure. But I feel like this is my calling," he noted.
He continued, explaining how starting the business has changed everything. "I've just had this drive inside of me that's said, 'You've got to go for this.' What I want to do, to my knowledge, 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 in a way. 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 to for the first time."
What will Soft Bar + Café serve?
In addition to selling coffee products and locally made provisions, the bar will be selling non-alcoholic drinks. But they're not just your average mocktail, they are hand-crafted mocktails. Carl took to Instagram in December where he revealed what sets his bar apart from other bars that don't serve alcohol.
"I've done a lot of research in the city. There are a lot of sugary, overpriced mocktails, but what we are creating here are called 'soft cocktails.' These are premium, they are sophisticated, and elevated," he explained. "Because we use high-quality ingredients [and] because our head bartender is an expert in his field — he's an artist, he's a craftsman — you pay for the quality and the bespoke nature of these products. They're not going to be $20 mocktails, but the quality and the experience, I believe the people will really appreciate and enjoy...I'm telling you, you've never tasted a soft cocktail that tastes like this."
