Carl Radke Prepares His Summer House Contingency Plan

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Soft Bar isn’t just a figment of imagination; it’s moving towards reality. On my visit to the Greenpoint location for an interview with founder and owner Carl Radke, I found myself amidst a bustling construction site, where workers were meticulously transforming the vast warehouse into Soft Bar’s future home.

Radke gave me a brief tour, explaining his excitement about the location’s attributes: its elongated, narrow design with towering 23-foot ceilings, and the vibrant neighborhood that surrounds it. He also unveiled concept art for the completed bar, featuring shades of mint green for the custom concrete bar that will span from the front of the space to the exterior façade. The grand opening is scheduled for August, which happens to be a perfect timing as it would coincide with the conclusion of filming for season ten of Summer House, a popular Bravo reality series about a group of friends enjoying their summer at a shared house in the Hamptons, where Radke has been a cast member since its debut in 2017.

Prior to its anticipated grand opening, Soft Bar has faced skepticism from many quarters. Historically, businesses endorsed by Bravo stars haven’t always materialized beyond TV storylines, which means Radke has a higher burden of proof than most entrepreneurs. He may have been overly optimistic with his timeline, although he clarifies that the launch party shown on season nine of Summer House was primarily intended to introduce the brand rather than mark the actual opening. On the show, he mentioned aiming for a January 2025 debut. “I’m learning a great deal about certain aspects of this field,” he admits.

Viewers of the show Summer House have noticed a sense of directionless-ness in Radke, particularly after he became sober in January 2021 and found it challenging to establish himself professionally beyond his friend Kyle Cooke’s drink company, Loverboy. In season eight, Radke encountered conflicts with his then-fiancée Lindsay Hubbard, who pressed for more drive from him and swiftly dismissed his proposal of opening a sober sports bar. “It was a narrow concept,” he acknowledges, “I didn’t have much substance to back it up.

Since that significant discussion, Radke’s life has undergone a major transformation, marking one of several strains that ultimately led to the turbulent end of the Hubbard-Radke relationship, as depicted in the final episode of season eight. Hubbard announced her pregnancy with a new partner at the start of season nine, leaving a late-arriving Radke in an awkward position to offer his congratulations. Hubbard had predicted that Radke would tread carefully around her all summer, and indeed, he admits being on eggshells during those early episodes. However, Radke asserts that filming the season was less challenging than it appeared, stating, “It seemed like a fantastic opportunity to heal, find closure — more closure than I already had — and enjoy myself with my friends again.

During season nine, Radke and Hubbard generally maintained a respectful relationship, but Radke believes they won’t rekindle their friendship in the future. At the reunion, he admitted that he still yearns for his ex’s companionship. When questioned by Andy Cohen, Hubbard expressed she hasn’t reached that point yet. Now, according to Radke, “I feel like it ended as it should have.

Radke himself asserts that his mostly calm demeanor towards Hubbard during season nine represented both who he genuinely is and the person he aspires to be. However, he acknowledges that he isn’t always free of frustration; the one instance I notice a hint of annoyance arises when I inquire about his choice to disclose on the show that it had been a year since his engagement ended without any sexual encounters. “Apparently,” he says, explaining Hubbard’s reaction, “I was portraying myself as a victim by saying that. I certainly wasn’t trying to do that in any way.

His broken celibacy might be a delicate topic given its context. In his own words on the show, it stemmed from not feeling prepared to allow someone new into his life. However, there was also an underlying fear of being portrayed as the villain following their breakup. Over time during season eight, opinions among viewers shifted regarding who was more at fault between Radke and Hubbard – a questionable measure for analyzing a broken relationship. Nonetheless, much criticism was directed towards Radke. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the breakup took place during the height of the Scandoval on Vanderpump Rules. Though Radke wasn’t Tom Sandoval, he was often grouped with other problematic Bravo men in the eyes of many viewers, especially those who were supportive of Hubbard.

Last year, he remembers feeling quite low about dating and questioning his worthiness: “Who’d be interested in having a relationship with me?” he pondered. Following a significant breakup, at the age of 39, being single, and starting a new business, he felt like an undesirable option to himself: “I thought nobody would want to be with me,” he admitted internally. Consequently, his reasoning was, “Why bother trying to move past that drama?

In our chat, Radke discussed his decision to avoid romantic relationships and its connection to his journey as a recovering addict. He entered a relationship with Hubbard prior to completing a full year of sobriety, which is not typically recommended during recovery. During the ‘Summer House’ after-show, cast member Lexi Wood disclosed that Radke explained to her he chose this year of abstinence deliberately to concentrate on himself and his sobriety without romantic complications.

In our conversation, Radke admitted to having an unacknowledged alcohol and cocaine problem even before ‘Summer House’ began. He mentioned that substance abuse and mental health issues are common in his family lineage. Tragically, his brother, Curtis, passed away due to a heroin overdose in August 2020, which worsened Radke’s addiction problems until he hit rock bottom the following January. A particularly bad night when Radke contacted people he shouldn’t have and even threatened his own life led to Cooke intervening and urging him to seek help.

When my closest companion straight-up told me that I was facing the end, I couldn’t ignore it. Now, I continue to go to AA meetings and work closely with a mentor, because quite simply, it’s all about staying alive.

On the Bravo series “Summer House,” Radke’s sobriety sets him apart from the usual cast behavior. Unlike many reality shows under the Bravo banner, excessive drinking is a common theme on this show. In fact, the cast of “Summer House” has been known for their love of partying, with alcohol playing a significant role in their fun-filled activities. As Radke puts it, they were quite the boozy group of friends, and they seemed to drink more than most other people because they didn’t fully understand the show’s dynamics early on – they were just enjoying themselves.

In my case, I never thought I’d be living the life depicted in “Summer House” without any substances, but Radke insists that what we’re witnessing is a truer representation of who he truly is. The guy you see on weekends wasn’t always the same person I knew off-camera. He often relied on using substances as a sort of mask, if you will. Now, however, he’s incredibly more self-assured.

A significant portion of Radke’s self-assuredness is evident in his discussions about his ongoing business project, Soft Bar. Although his future plans might have appeared hasty during the show, he is incredibly precise when discussing Soft Bar in its present form. He recognizes the challenges associated with opening a physical establishment, but having a tangible location aligns with his vision for Soft Bar: a place where people can congregate, converse, work, and live without alcohol. In New York, sober bars are typically open only on weekends and later in the day, while coffee shops tend to close early. For those seeking alternatives to coffee like matcha, cacao, and mushroom blends, there are limited options. Soft Bar, as presented on Summer House, has largely come across as an existing type of sober bar – offering non-alcoholic cocktails in a casual or upscale environment, but only in a restricted capacity due to the financial constraints of a business that doesn’t rely heavily on alcohol sales for revenue. In reality, Radke is envisioning a more versatile model, welcoming customers throughout the day and offering various menu options based on the time. “Why not just a cool place you can visit anytime?” Radke ponders. “I came to realize it was about more than sports; it’s a lifestyle that I still believe is lacking.

In essence, this space is crafted for individuals to exchange stories and build relationships, be they friendships, romantic connections, or professional ties. As he explains, it’s a place devoid of alcohol’s influence. He mentions that many current establishments in the city might not fully cater to such needs as effectively as this one. Critics are bound to exist for an alcohol-free environment, but Radke acknowledges that convincing everyone may be unrealistic. However, he does clarify my worry about non-alcoholic drinks, stating they won’t use the term “mocktail” because it doesn’t imply mockery or derision of any kind – instead, they prefer to call them by a different name to avoid that impression.

Radke shares his perspective on mocktails: “I’ve found they’re often sweet and not well thought out, a bit random.” However, in our establishment, he explains, we take pride in crafting high-quality mocktails using top-notch ingredients and advanced bartending methods like milk punch and fat washing. While these drinks won’t be cheap, but neither will they break the bank, costing around $18. Yet, for those who prefer to spend less than $10 on a non-alcoholic beverage, we will offer more affordable options as well.

Presently, Soft Bar dominates his daily routine; on the other hand, the fate of Summer House remains uncertain. The popular cast member Paige DeSorbo, who joined in season three, announced her departure in a post on Instagram dated June 5, and it’s difficult to envision Hubbard, now a mother of a 5-month-old, committing to another full-season return. (“I’ll be in the Hamptons,” Hubbard stated at the reunion. “I’m not sure if I’ll be living at the house every weekend.”) For Radke and Cooke, particularly Cooke who will celebrate his 43rd birthday this summer, there’s a question about how long they can continue with this lifestyle. There have been whispers about the potential for a new Summer House series, set in New York City, featuring these longtime friends at a different stage in their lives, much like Bravo did by spinning off The Valley from Vanderpump Rules. “I can envision perhaps concentrating more on our careers in New York,” Radke muses when asked about the possibility of not returning to Summer House as usual. “But I don’t know. Me and Kyle definitely have some more fun left in us in the Hamptons.

If Bravo considers moving Radke and his older millennial colleagues to a new job-focused series, Soft Bar could logically develop into Radke’s narrative. At present, however, he’s keeping that potential storyline separate from his current professional life – avoiding any potential ties or complications associated with it.

This isn’t just any soft bar called Carl’s or Bravo’s. It’s a genuine business with its unique identity. Even if Bravo were to cease operations today, this brand would continue thriving.

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2025-06-06 17:54