Nearly a month into the government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers remain on furlough, and Isaac Stein is one of them. Normally, he’s an attorney for the IRS who writes tax regulations, but now he’s selling hot dogs on a corner in Washington, DC. The stand — Shyster’s Dogs — is a realization of a childhood dream. While his classmates enjoyed playing basketball, Stein had more fun manning the concession stand. That’s why when he was furloughed and had time on his hands, he decided to make his childhood dream come true. “I got all the permits in late September, and then I was furloughed on October 8,” said Stein. Now his free time has turned into a 7-day-a-week gig. He has a simple menu: A hot dog and a drink runs $10 or $17, with a bag of chips tossed in if you buy two dogs. He offers a 5¢ discount for customers who briefly recite the historical significance of MoonPies and/or RC Cola. Stein says he sells about 50 dogs a day, and while he’s looking forward to getting back to his IRS job as soon as possible, he’s definitely making the hot dog stand a weekend project.
