“Summer House” star Carl Radke was inspired to create a place for people like him.
He is the co-founder of Soft Bar & Cafe, which is “a mindful bar & café offering an elevated experience without the influence of alcohol.” Radke has been sober since 2020, and has brought up the idea of opening a bar like this on Bravo’s hit show. Now, he’s finally doing it.
And when speaking with Brooklyn Paper in a March 18 interview, he opened up about the real reason he decided to go forward with this business venture.
“They opened up a bottle shop that only sold non-alcoholic beverages,” he told Brooklyn Paper, referencing the non-alcoholic bottle shop called Boisson.
However, he realized that there was one thing missing from his experience.
“It’s a really cool thing, but it was me shopping at that store,” he explained. “I had this epiphany — I’m like, you buy product and you leave. You can’t sit down there. I said to myself, ‘This is silly. I love this store — why am I walking home to drink non-alcoholic drinks by myself in my apartment? This is not the experience I’m looking for.’”
“I wanted to create a destination — a four-wall, brick-and-mortar space where you can come any time of day and enjoy an amazing non-alcoholic drink,” Radke added.
Carl Radke Is Giving Everybody The Ability to Invest In Soft Bar & Cafe
Radke’s is allowing everyone to get involved in this exciting next step. The minimum investment allowed is $250.
They are looking to raise a minimum of $75,000, with over $50,000 raised as of March 19.
“We’re really excited to bring people into this journey with us,” he said to the Brooklyn Paper. “The crowdfunding isn’t just about raising money; it’s about building a community from day one. We want our supporters to feel like they’re part of something bigger, that they’re helping create a space that truly reflects this movement toward mindful drinking and better-for-you beverages.”
The bar will be located in Greenpoint in a 2,300-square-foot industrial garage near the corner of Banker and Dobbin streets.
“We’re not just a bar, we’re not just a coffee shop,” Radke explained. “My goal is for you to come for the NA drink, the coffee, the tea — but amplify it with community.”
Carl Radke Wants People To Know That This Bar is for Everyone
Radke has noticed that there are a lot more people now who aren’t drinking.
“The whole ‘sober-curious’ movement is really growing,” he told Brooklyn Paper. “You’re seeing Gen Z drinking less, people being more mindful of what they put in their bodies. It’s not just about cutting alcohol — it’s about healthier choices overall.”
But, that doesn’t mean that people don’t still want the bar experience.
“People still want the experience of going out, socializing, and having a beautifully crafted drink in their hand,” Radke said. “It just doesn’t always have to have alcohol in it.”
“The biggest thing for me is I wanted everybody to feel comfortable coming,” he added. “When you label it as a sober bar, to me, that almost says you have to be in the program, in AA… and not everybody’s comfortable saying, ‘I have a problem.’ Some people just want to take a night off. Some people just want to take a day off.”
It’s truly a place for everyone.
“There are thousands of reasons why people don’t drink alcohol,” Radke stated. “So it was important to make sure everybody felt welcome.”
