Thousands of federal employees have been furloughed this month as the government shutdown nears its second month.

One of those furlough employees is trying to make the most of it, using his time to build community through a passion project he always wanted to get off the ground. 

You could say Isaac Stein is relishing the opportunity.

“It’s a culmination of a childhood dream,” Stein told Spectrum News this week as he served up hot dogs on the corner of M and 1st St NE in downtown Washington, D.C. at his hot dog cart.

What You Need To Know

  • When the government shutdown left Isaac Stein furloughed from his job as a lawyer at the IRS, he took the additional time in his schedule to double down on his passion project

  • Shysters Dogs is the "culmination of a childhood dream," according to Stein, and is a play on his day job as a lawyer

  • Stein, who is located on M and 1st St NE in Washington, D.C., has been selling out each day while he waits to return to his day job, which he fully intends to do

Stein, a lawyer with the Internal Revenue Service’s Office of the Chief Council, started the process of procuring the necessary paperwork for his cart over the summer. It was an idea he had toyed with for quite some time before he ultimately decided to make the investment into a cart, which he launched in late September.

“A hot dog evokes strong emotions in people, and everyone has their own experience with hot dogs. But I believe strongly that hot dogs are a fixture of city life,” said Stein. “There's a community aspect to the hot dog stand. So that's what I'm trying to bring to people.” 

The cart, dubbed “Shysters Dogs,” is a tongue in cheek reference to Stein’s day job as a lawyer.

“A shyster is a lawyer that uses deceptive or fraudulent practices. It's a part of my shtick," he said. "And the irony is that everything about the stand was done correctly. I also really try to treat people well.”

The menu is a simple one: “the only choice” with sauerkraut and brown mustard, or “a hot dog with the wrong toppings.”

“It's entirely my own personal preferences, there's no game of hide the ball. This is how I think it should be done,” he said straight-faced as he dressed a dog for a customer. 

When the shutdown left Stein furloughed, he turned his side hustle into a full-time gig, at least for now. He told Spectrum News he’s selling about 60 hot dogs a day, the most his cart can hold. “When people hear that I'm furloughed and they're doing this, they seem pretty stoked on it,” said Stein. “I feel like I'm connected with the community and I can provide a service that makes me really, really happy.”

Stein says his venture turns a profit, with customers driving from surrounding Maryland and Virginia to get a red hot.

“Obviously the government shutdowns are terrible. But, you know, some people turning it into a positive is great. That's nice to see,” said Jordan Gabbidon, who lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Once the government reopens, Stein said he plans to go back to being a lawyer full time, but that he will keep selling hot dogs on the weekends. 

“I'm just trying to bring people joy and make them laugh and smile. And if one person a day laughs at that menu, that's wonderful.”

Until then, Stein can be found right here, building a community one hot dog at a time.