KNOXVILLE (WATE) – The shooting at a gay club in Orlando has shaken both customers and the owner of Kristtopher’s, one of three gay bars in Knoxville.

“I moved back to Tennessee in 1993. You couldn’t be gay. You couldn’t be out. You couldn’t have a sticker on your car,” explained Knoxville resident Rhonda Gregg, who has visited all three gay bars in town.

She’s also watched the evolution of acceptance of the gay community in town.More coverage: Orlando nightclub shooting

Kristtopher’s in Knoxville

“Today it’s thousands that attend these pride events. This Orlando thing has blown that apart. Our pride in this town is next Saturday and I don’t know a single person concerned they won’t get shot,” Gregg explained.

She says this one incident has not just affected Orlando, but the gay community across the nation.

“It’s mind boggling, people laying their on that ballroom floor, dead. It’s senseless, stupid. Hate is hate. It’s all that is,” Gregg said.

“It’s just devastating. Being a club owner myself, I knew it could have been our bar, it could have happened anywhere. It’s devastating to hear someone targeted a certain group of people,” said Kris Warfield, the owner of Kristtopher’s.

Over the weekend, the vibrant atmosphere of fun and dancing at her bar would have been similar to what Pulse was like before the shooting.

“On a typical day, we’re not thinking, who is going to walk in through that door with a handgun, machine gun, or whatever,” Warfield explained.

In a changing world, that may have to be the new mindset. Right now they already have a gun, as well as security at the bar over the weekend.

“We’ll step it up, more awareness. Training staff to be more aware. Signs to look for, like someone with a large backpack. That’s what you can do other than having officers outside your door, which does not make it inviting for people to come in,” Warfield said.

Gregg will also be exercising more awareness, as she goes about her day as well.

“To be more careful. Look around at what’s going on. I came early before this interview and watched the parking lot to see who was watching me. You’ve got to be aware. You’ve got to be super-heightened aware, because there’s a whole lot of haters in this country,” Rhonda said.

When asked if Warfield felt this incident would hurt business at gay bars across the country, she says she expects the opposite – a greater show of support from the community.