Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS The parking lot is cordoned off and tarps cover the front of The Big 1 ice cream stand the morning after a pickup truck slammed into the building. The street sign for Rancourt Street lies in the foreground. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

NASHUA – Fans of the landmark ice cream stand The Big 1 promptly took to social media in the days after the crash that heavily damaged the building, expressing their hope that the popular Concord Street stand is able to reopen as planned come spring.

A pickup truck operated by Joseph Hebert, 33, of 18 Rancourt St., slammed into the building late last week, turning the entire front section into a pile of rubble and causing significant damage to most of the rest of the one-story structure at 185 Concord St.

Indications are that Hebert was allegedly attempting to elude police when he lost control of the truck and crashed into the building.

Police didn’t elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the incident, but they did say they arrested Hebert, who reportedly sustained minor injuries.

Hebert is charged with one count each of reckless operation, disobeying an officer, and aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – attempt to elude police.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS The parking lot is cordoned off and tarps cover the front of The Big 1 ice cream stand the morning after a pickup truck slammed into the building. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

He was booked on the charges, but his bail status wasn’t immediately available. It’s likely he was, or will be, given a court date for arraignment on the charges.

The Big 1 is at 185 Concord St., on the corner of Concord and Rancourt streets. Whether Hebert, who was headed north on Concord Street toward Merrimack, may have been attempting to turn onto Rancourt Street when he lost control wasn’t immediately known.

The Big 1, formerly known as Butch’s Ice Cream, is owned by Gary and Jeanne Marquis, who, several people said in social media posts, live in an apartment attached to one side of the stand.

Whether they were there or not when the crash occurred isn’t clear.

Within hours of the crash, the building was wrapped in several large, blue tarps to protect the rest of the building from the elements.

Courtesy photo The front section of The Big One ice cream stand was heavily damaged late last week when the driver of the pickup truck lost control near the corner of Concord and Rancourt streets. (Courtesy photo)

According to city property records, the stand was built in the World War II era, and initially served as a grocery store owned by Nashua residents Julien Bouchard and Romeo Paul.

The two, among thousands of military veterans coming home from the war, named the store Vets’ Corner Store, and held a grand opening just after Christmas 1946.

At the same time, city officials were in the process of securing land to build affordable housing for returning veterans and their families.

One site they settled on was the area east of Concord Street, where Rancourt, Pennichuck, Santerre and Celeste streets and Caron Avenue are today.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.