From IRS Desk to Hot Dog Cart: Furloughed Lawyer Turns 'Shysters Dogs' into a D.C. Community Hub

From IRS Desk to Hot Dog Cart: A Local Success Story

Isaac Stein, 31, turned a childhood dream into a neighborhood fixture when he opened Shysters Dogs in Washington, D.C. What began as a Friday-and-weekend side project quickly grew into a full-time operation during the recent government shutdown.

Stein bought a hot dog cart in June 2025 and spent the summer navigating the necessary permits. Because the cart is not drivable, he pushed it nearly four miles to register it with the Department of Motor Vehicles in August, and also secured approvals from the consumer protection agency, the fire department and the health department. With a sidewalk permit in hand, the cart opened by the third week of September under the tongue-in-cheek tagline, "The Only Honest Ripoff in D.C."

When the federal government shut down on Oct. 1 and Stein was furloughed on Oct. 8, he switched from his IRS office to the sidewalk and began running the cart full-time during the 43-day closure — still wearing a suit on weekdays as he had while working in government.

His menu centers on what he calls "the correct hot dog": a Hebrew National frank on a steamed bun with mustard and sauerkraut. For customers who want something else, he offers "wrong toppings" such as single-condiment combinations (mustard or sauerkraut, but not both), ketchup or Chicago-style pickled vegetables. He also stocks sweet relish and pickled onions from a local bakery (which supplies his buns), plus Moon Pies, RC Cola, Diet Coke and Zep's Voodoo chips.

Stein handled the logistical and regulatory details himself and initially limited hours because of his federal job. The furlough allowed him to expand hours, meet neighbors and build a loyal following. News coverage during the extended shutdown boosted foot traffic, and Stein says he frequently sells out and watches customers linger to chat and connect — exactly the community energy he wanted to foster.

“I really enjoy working at something,” Stein says. “The cart lets people hang out, chat and connect — that energy has been incredible.”

Running the cart has its downsides: cleanup can take up to three hours daily, and he often winds up with relish on his suit. Still, the personal reward has been seeing the cart become a casual meeting place, a modest "third place" where people can eat, talk and form connections.

The project also revived a formative memory: as a seventh-grader he ran a school concession stand and discovered he loved serving people and building community as much as — if not more than — playing in the game.

Now that the shutdown has ended, Stein plans to return to the IRS at the earliest opportunity, but he intends to keep Shysters Dogs as a Friday-and-weekend venture. "I know a hot dog cart isn't going to solve the decline of third spaces in American cities, but if it can do a little bit, that would make me really happy," he says.