On June 12, 2016, 29-year-old Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 58 others in a mass shooting. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson visits Pulse and the makeshift memorial outside of it on the three-month anniversary of the shooting The Washington Post described the club's first 12 years as "a community hub for HIV prevention, breast-cancer awareness and immigrant rights," and reported it had partnered with educational and advocacy groups such as Come Out with Pride, Equality Florida, and the Zebra Coalition. Poma ensured that her brother's memory was prominent on the website, and that the facility was more than "just another gay club." Legler, who was president of the Florida Theatrical Association when Pulse was founded, also founded two nightclubs in Lake Eola Park in 2010, before moving to Baltimore in 2014.
Poma's brother, John, died in 1991 from AIDS, and the club is "named for John's pulse to live on," according to a marketing staff member in February 2016. įounded by Barbara Poma and Ron Legler, Pulse opened on July 2, 2004. By 1999, it was called Dante's, a bar with live music. In 1985-prior to Pulse's founding-the property located at 1912 South Orange Avenue was home to a pizza restaurant named Lorenzo's. Then President Barack Obama stating Pulse was a refuge for LGBT and Hispanic people Using "periodic consumer surveys," Zagat rated Pulse 25/30 for atmosphere, 25/30 decor, and 22/30 service. According to listings, the entire premises, including the washrooms, were accessible.
Top 10 Orlando called it a "firm favorite for the Orlando gay crowd," The Rough Guide to Florida deemed it "justifiably popular," citing its "great lighting and sound plus cabaret performers, drag acts, and erotic dancers." Pulse was the only gay club mentioned in The Rough Guide to the USA for Orlando. Every night has something different in store, but Pulse is known to have some pretty impressive drag shows, and the bar's dancers are usually gorgeous." Because of the three areas, Lonely Planet Discover Florida deemed it "three nightclubs," while their Florida volume focused on it being "ultramodern." According to Orlando Weekly, Pulse featured "three glitzy, throbbing rooms of club boys, twinks and twinks at heart. Pulse hosted themed performances each night and had a monthly program featuring educational events geared towards the LGBT community. Pulse representation at Come Out with Pride, 2009