Credit: Instagram
Carl Radke officially has an opening date for Soft Bar.
As he opened the doors to the non-alcoholic bar and café in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday for its soft opening, which was attended by Kyle Cooke, 43, the 40-year-old Summer House cast member, who got sober in 2021, took to his Instagram Story to announce that the space will be open to guests in just a few weeks.
“We’re SO excited to announce we’ll officially be opening our doors September 17th!” he wrote in the caption of a post shared to Soft Bar’s page on August 27.
Around the same time, a number of images taken at the venue’s soft opening were shared online, one of which came from Queen of Bravo on Instagram and included an overhead view of the bar.
“Filming of Summer House at the soft opening for Carl’s [Soft Bar]!” the outlet wrote as a similar image was shared by Kyle.
Meanwhile, in comments to a sneak peek inside, other Summer House cast members reacted to Carl’s news.
“I’m not soft!!!!” wrote West Wilson, 29.
“Go Carl!” shared Hannah Berner, 34.
“This place is absolutely stunning — congratulations brother!” added Kyle.
According to Carl, who described Soft Bar as a place people can “come, recharge and connect,” his café won’t feature mocktails, but rather “soft cocktails” curated by former Eleven Madison Park bartender Rich Millwater, as well as coffee, tea, and food items.
“Soft Bar is really about changing what going out can be,” Carl explained to PEOPLE on August 27. “We wanted to build a spot where the drinks are high-quality and intentionally crafted, the vibe feels good, and people can connect without alcohol. At the end of the day, it’s about bringing people together and celebrating great flavors.”
While the drinks at Soft Bar won’t contain alcohol, they will feature high-quality ingredients that boast functional benefits.
“We’re really about ‘soft cocktails,'” Carl noted. “It’s not, ‘Oh here’s a version of a margarita without tequila.’ Or some joke of an after-thought, like the term ‘mocktails’ implies. These are drinks that are designed intentionally to give you the same kind of experience you would have at a really cool cocktail bar.”
In addition to soft cocktails, Carl’s bar will have canned beers, wines, sparkling teas, and, of course, a non-alcoholic Loverboy product.
Soft Bar may be aimed at people who don’t drink, but that doesn’t mean it is strictly for sober people.
“This is a space for everyone,” he explained. “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.”
“I want to break the stigma, in a way,” he continued. “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.”
Carl went on to say that he feels like Soft Bar is “his calling.”
“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,” he stated. “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.”
For more of Carl’s Soft Bar, take a look inside in the video below.
Summer House season 10 is currently in production and expected to begin airing on Bravo sometime later this year or early next year.