As the federal government reopens after a weeks-long shutdown, an IRS employee who turned to selling hot dogs on a street corner is preparing to return to his day job while keeping the small business that carried him through the furlough.

Isaac Stein, 31, spent the shutdown running a hot dog cart in northeast Washington, drawing a steady stream of federal workers, neighbors and people who had followed his story online.

“I very much look forward to going back to work as soon as possible,” Stein said, adding that colleagues from the IRS and Treasury visited in groups to show support. “Everyone has been wonderful to me.”

Stein said the cart is steady cash flow, but the community response mattered more.

“I feel like the community here really has my back,” he said. “I love seeing the people each day, and I’m looking forward to seeing my colleagues as soon as the shutdown ends.”

He plans to continue running the cart on Fridays and weekends.

Among those who came by was Karin Williams, who drove from the Philadelphia area after seeing Stein’s story on social media.

“To see somebody making the best of the situation and doing something he had always wanted to do, we just wanted to come down and be supportive of that,” she said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

FURLOUGHED FEDERAL WORKER ISAAC STEIN MAKING AND SELLING HOT DOGS AS HE DISCUSSES RETURNING TO HIS IRS JOB, ALONG WITH CUSTOMER KARIN WILLIAMS WHO TRAVELLED FROM PHILADELPHIA TO SUPPORT HIS STAND

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES, NOVEMBER 12, 2025, REUTERS – Access all

1. ISAAC STEIN POSING WITH TWO CUSTOMERS TAKING A SELFIE AT HIS HOT DOG STAND

2. ISAAC STEIN HANDING BAGS OF CHIPS TO TWO CUSTOMERS WITH THEIR HOT DOG ORDERS

3.CUSTOMER EATING A HOT DOG PURCHASED FROM ISAAC STEIN’S CART

4. ISAAC STEIN GREETING CUSTOMERS AS THEY APPROACH HIS HOT DOG STAND

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English)

ISAAC STEIN, FURLOUGHED FEDERAL WORKER WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, SAYING:

"I very much look forward to going back to work as soon as possible. I've had a lot of federal workers come to the stand. My colleagues from IRS and Treasury, who are awesome. They came in a big group and then there were also people from a different IRS building who also came through to express support. Everyone has been wonderful to me."

6. VARIOUS OF ISAAC STEIN MAKING A HOT DOG AND ADDING RELISH AND KETCHUP

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English)

ISAAC STEIN, FURLOUGHED FEDERAL WORKER WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, SAYING:

"The business has been cash flow positive, and I... but I really, like more importantly, I just really wanted to mention the outpouring of community support. I feel like the community here really has my back. I love seeing the people each day, and I'm looking forward to seeing my colleagues as well as soon as the shutdown ends."

8. ISAAC STEIN SHAKING HANDS WITH A CUSTOMER AT HIS HOT DOG STAND

9. ISAAC STEIN HUGGING A PASSERBY NEAR HIS HOT DOG CART

10. VARIOUS OF CUSTOMERS PAYING FOR THEIR HOT DOGS AT ISAAC STEIN’S STAND

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English)

ISAAC STEIN, FURLOUGHED FEDERAL WORKER WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, SAYING:

"I intend to continue to operate this on Fridays and weekends."

12. VARIOUS OF ISAAC STEIN MAKING A HOT DOG, WRAPPING IT IN FOIL, AND HANDING IT TO A CUSTOMER

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English)

KARIN WILLIAMS, CUSTOMER WHO TRAVELED FROM PHILADELPHIA, SAYING:

"I saw him on social media and the situation, the government shutdown, was not a good thing for anybody. So to see somebody making the best of the situation and doing something, I read, he had always wanted to do, we just wanted to come down and be supportive of that."

14. ISAAC STEIN TALKING TO KARIN WILLIAMS AT HIS HOT DOG STAND

15. KARIN WILLIAMS TAKING A FIRST BITE OF THE HOT DOG SHE PURCHASED

16. CLOSE UP OF HOT DOG ON A NAPKIN

17. CLOSE UP OF ISAAC STEIN TALKING WITH KARIN WILLIAMS AND HER FAMILY

18. BOILING HOT WATER IN A CANISTER USED TO HOLD HOT DOGS

19. TIGHT CLOSE UP OF HOT DOGS BOILING IN HOT WATER

20. ISAAC STEIN GIVING AN ELBOW BUMP TO A CUSTOMER AND THANKING THEM FOR SUPPORTING HIM