Image Credit: VisitKnoxville.com
Tennessee Conservative News [By Paula Gomes] –
The owner of a gay club in Knoxville is accusing his landlord of being a “tyrant” after he failed to pay a rent increase, racking up $17,000 in unpaid rent and late fees, and leading to the lease not being renewed.
In a Facebook post, Richard Cameron, owner of Club XYZ, stated that the establishment’s final night was this past Saturday, and called landlord Daniel Shuh, “homophobic, a tyrant, and a proud asshole.”
Cameron claimed that the $300 monthly rent increase was more than the club could absorb and that Shuh failed to maintain the property adequately, forcing Cameron to pay out of pocket for improvements in order to keep the club running.
Cameron admitted to not making the payments “out of principle” due to the way Shuh talked to him and many disagreements over the years since Shuh bought the property at 1215 N. Central Street in 2017.
“Happy Holler is what it is today because Club XYZ took a chance on an area of town that was considered not safe, now Happy Holler is a thriving part of Knoxville due to Club XYZ,” said Cameron. “Daniel Schuh has benefited from the work XYZ put in to changing minds and make the area attractive for others to open their small businesses.”
Club XYZ first opened in 2004, and with its closure, only one LGBTQ venue remains in Knoxville but Shuh has said that “the community can look forward to welcoming a new LGBTQ-allied business to the space in the coming months.”
For Shuh’s part, he has stated that the lease non-renewal was “solely a contractual matter” and that Cameron had “created the issue.”
“As a landlord, I strive to support my tenants, which makes it all the more difficult when they fail to meet their obligations,” said Shuh in a statement.
Sources:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/money/business/2026/06/24/club-xyz-closing-due-to-lease-dispute-landlord-plans-future-for-space-lgbtq-bar-knoxville/90664195007
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
