Tributes paid to John Blake, owner of The Dealer’s Choice shop in Diss, who has died at the age of 44

The brother and partner of a Diss shop owner, who “wanted to bring people together”, have paid tribute to him after he died suddenly, aged 44.

John Blake, who ran The Dealer’s Choice in St Nicholas Street, died at his Denmark Street home on February 9.

His family said they had received an outpouring of support from people following his death.

Karny Allen, who had been Mr Blake’s partner for almost 10 years, said: “It has been amazing and heart breaking at the same time to see all the responses.

“Thank you to everyone for their support – it has been overwhelming.

“I honestly don’t think John ever realised how popular he and the shop were. If he had seen all of the comments we have had, he would have been blown away – he just wanted to make people happy and it shows that is what he did.”

Mr Blake opened his pop culture and gaming shop in August 2021, following the death of his father, with the venture growing in popularity ever since.

His brother, Richard, said: “With dad dying in 2020, it gave John the opportunity to follow this passion and dream of wanting to create that kind of space.

“He achieved it and was able to build a community where people could be themselves.”

Karny added: “The shop was his perfect environment and he just really shined there. It was quite crazy how quickly it grew.”

Mr Blake’s love for games and pop culture stemmed from his childhood.

“As brothers, whether it be computer games or table-top games, John wanted to create that space in our home where people could come, play, enjoy games and do it together,” recalled Richard.

“It was part of his makeup; wanting everyone to join in and be a part of it and, in a way, the shop seemed to be a natural progression of that.

“He was very much into sharing things with me. Even though he was three years older, it never felt like that when we were kids.

“We shared a lot and even in my speech at my wedding, where he was my best man, I joked that he learned if we joined in together on Christmas presents, we could get bigger ones – but really it was that he just wanted to share his passion with everyone.”

The shop has been closed since Mr Blake’s death and there are no firm plans yet for the business.

Richard said: “I just hope people can carry on John’s legacy by continuing the card trading nights he set up at the shop.

“He created that safe space and environment for people to be themselves and it would be a shame for people to lose it.”

Mr Blake’s funeral will be held at West Suffolk Crematorium in Risby on March 11 at 2pm.

Karny said: “Everyone is invited as it does not feel right to keep people away as they were such a big part of John’s work and life.

“We are also going to set up a JustGiving page for the East Anglian Air Ambulance as they responded to John that day.”

For anyone who cannot make the service, Mr Blake’s hearse will leave Diss Funeralcare in Stanley Road at 12.45pm, going to his home, down by DA Browne and Son butchers, where he worked years ago, and then past his shop in St Nicholas Street.

Richard added: “We thought it would be a nice way for the people of Diss to pay their respects to John.”