NORTH BAY -- Last week, the owners of a 76-year-old Mattawa chip stand were devastated when they were forced to close because the old shack can't handle equipment needed to meet new fire code regulations.

But now the fryers at Turcotte’s Chip Stand will be turned on again this summer in a brand new chip stand.

“It’s still so sad losing the old one. We’re still so heartbroken about that,” said owner Danny Turcotte.

The old chip stand is too small to fit the equipment. But Turcotte was able to purchase a new chip stand over the weekend and is excited to get it open as soon as he can.

“It’s in our possession. We can’t even believe it and we look out at it and we’re like ‘What?! That’s our chip stand?!’” Turcotte said, describing the emotion of finding a new joint for the business.

Since announcing the old shack was forced to close on social media, Turcotte said he was flooded with donations to purchase a new chip stand, as well as links to chip stands up for sale from people in Mattawa and all over northern Ontario.

He said he will forever be grateful for the support.

“We’re not changing anything besides the actual chip stand. Our menu is not going to change,” said Turcotte. “We just want to send a really massive ‘thank you’ to everyone. It just goes to show how much people loved our chip stand.”

The old chip stand is located in downtown Mattawa and has been a town staple in the last several decades. Turcotte’s grandmother opened it in 1944 and he inherited the fast-food joint from his mother in 2014.

Turcotte said he’s looking forward to a new era for Turcotte’s, hoping to fire up the fryers in June.

He is still currently looking for a new location for the chip stand. As for the old shack, he hopes it will be preserved in some way, either at its old location or he might move it to his future new location to be placed beside his new chip stand.