Carl Radke's Non-Alcoholic Bar Is a Reality! All About the Summer House Star's Venture: 'My Calling' (Exclusive)

Carl Radke has turned his pain into progress.

A year after splitting from fiancé Lindsay Hubbard, the Summer House star has been busy at work, making his dream of opening a non-alcoholic bar into a reality. Radke's Soft Bar + Café in Brooklyn, N.Y. is planning to open in January 2025.

"It's been a journey, for sure," Radke, 39, tells PEOPLE. "But I feel like this is my calling. 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," he adds. "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."

Radke first floated the idea of the brick-and-mortar business on season 8 of Summer House. It was a concept that came to Radke while he was deep into recovery for his alcohol and cocaine addiction.

"I got sober in January 2021. And over the last three and a half years, I've been looking for places in New York where I can go out and enjoy myself still without feeling that pressure," he says. "And everywhere I went, it always felt like something was missing."

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Soft Bar + Café will be an option for those who want to be social but also "want to be somewhere that won't compromise their lifestyle," says Radke.

"This isn't a 'sober bar.' This is a space for everyone," he explains. "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 adds. "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."

Radke uses the term "mindful consumption" when describing it, noting that the menu will be filled with "balanced, inventive, functional beverages with high-quality ingredients crafted using cutting-edge techniques that just happen to be non-alcoholic."

You won't see the word "mocktails" anywhere.

"Traveling in Europe this past spring and even going to some higher-end restaurants in New York, I started noticing the term 'soft cocktails' utilized more and more," he tells PEOPLE. "And that's really what we're all about. 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."

To build the menu, he collaborated with Rich Millwater, the former head bartender at Eleven Madison Park, which has been a leader in non-alcoholic beverage options.

"When I met with Rich, the one thing he said to me that we've really held onto is, 'Just because you're not drinking alcohol doesn't mean you should have a lesser experience.' So he's really helped us craft elevated options that taste fantastic and come with this elevated presentation that will make everyone feel like they're getting something special."

Dr. Brooke Scheller, an expert in sober nutrition and author of How to Eat to Change How You Drink, worked with Radke and Millwater on the menu, too.

"She's really good at functional ingredients, down to the granular level of, 'Let's use lion's main in this drink, because it's a mushroom that provides calm and helps with anxiety and depression,' " Radke says. "So she's been a huge part of crafting the messaging and educating our customers on what these beverages can do for you."

"I've learned a lot from her. And I feel so grateful to have a doctor of nutrition on the team," he adds.

Rounding out the group is Antonia Petaccio, a coffee commander who will be helping the establishment introduce a range of coffee options including those made with adaptogen mushrooms.

"We're introducing a really strong coffee program because I feel like that's almost our Trojan horse to get people to come in and just see what Soft Bar is," Radke says. "So many people drink coffee in New York, and I've noticed that's a key component missing from other establishments that cater to non-alcoholic beverages."

Customers at Soft Bar + Café will also be able to purchase canned non-alcoholic beverages, like beers, wines and sparkling teas (including non-alcoholic Loverboy, which Radke is still working on with his friend, castmate and Loverboy founder, Kyle Cooke).

While Radke and his team work to get the doors open at Soft Bar + Café, fans can lend their support by buying merch. Those in the New York area can also get a taste of the brand now at a variety of pop-up events, corporate gigs and parties Radke has on the books.

"We actually have this incredible Mercedes Sprinter van that we've built out and wrapped with our branding and it allows us to pull up to anywhere we want and open up shop," he says. "So we've got a few dates on the books — including a Barry's Bootcamp class, an event at Post House Sag Harbor and a spot at Kate Spade's Global Summit on Women's Mental Health in September — where you can see for yourself what it'll be like."

And though there's still a lot to be done before opening day, Radke says the experience hasn't felt like work at all. "Our mission is so authentic to who I am, it just feels so natural to be going down this path," Radke says. "I'm living and breathing Soft Bar every day. It's who I am."

But he also want's to make it clear: "This isn't Carl Radke's Soft Bar."

"This is a team; a group of people who are giving their expertise and energy and support to make this a reality for everyone to enjoy. I couldn't do it without them, and without my friends who have rallied around me," he says, naming his Summer House costars like Amanda Batula, Paige DeSorbo, Ciara Miller, Jesse Solomon, West Wilson and Gabby Prescod — most of whom were with Radke at a launch event for the brand earlier in August.

"I pinch myself all the time, like, 'How the hell did I get so lucky to get here?' " Radke says. "But it feels so right; like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."

For more information on Soft Bar + Café, fans can sign up for updates on the brand's official website. Radke is also currently welcoming investors.