This furloughed IRS lawyer is living out his dream of being a hot dog vendor

By Ava Pukatch

Published October 29, 2025 at 4:34 AM CDT

Isaac Stein stands outside "Shysters Dogs" on Sunday.

Nearly one month into the government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers remain on furlough.

Isaac Stein is one of them. Normally, he's a lawyer for the IRS who writes tax regulations. But on a sunny Sunday afternoon on a corner in his Washington, D.C., neighborhood, he's wearing a suit and tie, working his hot dog stand, "Shysters Dogs." Its motto: "the only honest ripoff in DC."

"I am having a grand old time slinging hot dogs," Stein said.

A hot dog and a drink runs $10 or $17, with a bag of chips tossed in if you buy two dogs.

The stand is a realization of a childhood dream for Stein. While his classmates enjoyed playing basketball, he said, he had more fun manning the concessions stand. This summer, he decided he wanted to open a hot dog business of his very own.

"I got all the permits in late September, and then I was furloughed on Oct. 8," Stein said.

So with his newly free time, the side project he started before the shutdown turned into a seven-days-a-week gig. It's a simple menu: a "correct hot dog" or a "hot dog with the wrong toppings."

"I'm trying to incentivize people to do what I think a correct hot dog is, which is mustard and sauerkraut," Stein said. "If someone wants other things, that's totally, totally fine. No judgment. But I do reserve the right to assess an additional dollar as a penalty."

The rest of the menu is similarly cheeky, including RC Cola (which Stein thinks is the best cola), MoonPies, dog treats and branded stickers. He offers a 5 cent discount for customers who "briefly recite the historical significance of MoonPies and/or RC Cola." Also available on the menu: "SHIRT OFF MY BACK."

The menu board features what Stein deems a "correct hot dog" and a "hot dog with the wrong toppings," as well MoonPies and dog treats.

"If someone coughs up a solid grand, I will literally strip half naked, take the shirt off my back, call it a day and walk home," Stein said.

No one's taken him up on that offer just yet.

Stein said he sells about 50 hot dogs a day. He's looking forward to getting back to his IRS job as soon as possible.

"But I'm definitely not giving this up," Stein said. "This is going to be a weekend project, I think, for life."

He hopes it can bring a laugh to the community — even if he has to charge you a 10% tax for ordering a dog with the "wrong toppings."