Tributes to 'friendly giant with a big heart' after stabbing death in ...

A 20-year-old man stabbed to death in Geelong CBD has been remembered as a "friendly giant with a big heart".

The tragedy shut down the heart of the city today with traders forced to close for the day as the homicide squad investigates.

Jayme Skyes, 20, was left lying in a pool of blood along Geelong's infamous Little Malop Street, before dying in hospital.

9News understands the victim from Corio was with a friend at St James night club, when they got into an argument with another group about 5.30am today.

A fight broke out spilling across city streets.

Tania Anastasopoulos from the Public Cafe said it was "just devastating".

"20-year-old, so young, you know, as a parent your kids go out at night and you don't know if they're gonna come home," she said.

Skyes' mate was also injured and questioned by homicide detectives at the scene.

Two other men involved in the fight took themselves to hospital with minor injuries.

The SES was called in to search the area for a murder weapon.

The crime scene spans hundreds of metres with many businesses having to remain closed for the day.

Those same business owners say violence along Little Mallop Street is becoming far too common.

"I'm not surprised that something has happened, I mean there was a glassing last weekend just around the corner, it's happening all the time," Alex Smith from Hot Chicken Project said.

"Cops are doing nothing about it, something needs to happen and it needs to happen now."

The two men in hospital have been questioned, but no arrests have been made.