Carl Radke’s new venture, Soft Bar + Cafe, has created quite a stir, but not for the reasons you’d think. The Summer House star had to clear the air about the name of his bar, which some speculated was a dig at his ex-fiancée, Lindsay Hubbard.
Carl Radke, 39, recently opened up about his new Brooklyn establishment, Soft Bar + Cafe. People were quick to assume the name was a jab at his ex-fiancée, Lindsay Hubbard, 37, especially after he asked her to be ‘softer’ during their relationship.
Radke explained that ‘soft drinks’ in the US typically refer to sodas. However, in Europe, ‘soft cocktails’ or ‘softs’ are non-alcoholic drinks. ‘I wanted to define a new—and much needed—category and space for high-quality non-alcoholic beverages for adults,’ Radke told Page Six.
Discussing with his co-founder, they aimed to raise the bar in the non-alcoholic space, which led to the name ‘Soft Bar.’ He emphasized that the name had nothing to do with his past relationship.
The announcement of the bar stirred plenty of speculation on social media. One user on X wrote, ‘Carl naming his non-alcoholic bar
is one of the most pathetic things the man has done.’ Another said, ‘Asking Lindsay to be softer and opening a bar named soft. Diabolical honestly.’
Radke has already apologised to Hubbard for asking her to be ‘softer’ on Season 8 of Summer House. ‘I can’t say ‘soft’ to a woman,’ he told Kyle Cooke on the Summer House Season 8 After Show. ‘According to Lindsay, that’s a derogatory thing to say to a woman.’
He added, ‘It’s like saying to a man,
If you ask a woman to be a little softer when you’re discussing your career opportunities, I guess that’s derogatory. If that’s the case, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to be so derogatory.’
After their explosive breakup was filmed for the Summer House season finale, Radke admitted he wasn’t proud of ending the engagement on camera. ‘I was clearly frustrated and wish I had been more direct,’ he told The New York Times. He also noted that viewers could see him struggling to communicate his feelings in Season 8.
Radke explained, ‘That’s not on her. That’s on me. I’m seeing myself blame and play victim, and I don’t want to be either.’ Both Radke and Hubbard are set to return for Season 9, just as she announced her pregnancy with a mystery partner.
Radke clarified the misconceptions surrounding his new bar, emphasising that its name had nothing to do with his past relationship. Despite the speculations, he’s committed to redefining the non-alcoholic space while acknowledging his personal growth areas.
