The Shawn Behind Shawn Dogs

Shawn Lapin is sitting in the courtyard of a six-story office building on Ventura Boulevard at Hayvenhurst Avenue in Encino, sizing up his customers. It’s the last Monday in October, the first day in business for Shawn Dogs, Lapin’s hot dog stand. His employees (Rick Shapiro, David Langager and Rob Townsend) are passing out flyers, picking up trash, trying to make themselves useful.

No big deal, except that all four men are severely afflicted with autism, a brain disorder that affects behavior, communication and the senses. Victims often withdraw into their own world and are generally oblivious to people and things around them.

Lapin co-owns the stand with his roommate David Krase, and Lapin’s father, Dr. Harvey Lapin, put up the $3,500 it took to open.

Another supporter is Barry Gross, who owns the office building where Shawn Dogs is located. He’s allowing Lapin and Krase to park their cart rent-free.

Lapin’s severe autism--he doesn’t speak--makes it difficult for him to be comfortable around strangers. Four years ago, when he was still living in a group home, it was impossible to get him to sit still in a car. “No one wanted to be near him,” says Louis Fudale, a job assistant provided by the state to accompany Lapin on his day program, which now is the hot dog business. “Shawn’s major thing was breaking glass--dishes, mirrors, light bulbs.”

Today, Lapin lives with Krase and Fudale in what’s called a supported living program. “What we are trying to do is integrate people with disabilities with so-called normal people,” says Lapin Sr. “It’s not as if they choose to live with other people with disabilities.”

Something must be working--Lapin hasn’t broken a single glass since he moved into his new home. And he’s learned facilitated communication, a technique that allows him to talk through typing. When a stranger describes eating three hot dogs, Shawn types, “gross,” and smiles.

So far, when it comes to hot dogs, Lapin’s customers could care less whether Shawn is disabled or not. It’s lunchtime and they are lining up to buy hot dogs--kosher all-beef, turkey and vegetarian. “The owner of the building is a vegetarian,” Lapin Sr. explains to a customer. “I’m no dummy.”

“These are good,” says Neil Geller, who drops by for a regular dog with mustard and sauerkraut. “Just like the ones I used to eat in New York.”

A woman in round purple sunglasses and a matching purple crushed velvet dress wrinkles her nose after biting into a veggie dog. “Tastes too much like a hot dog,” she says. “I wanted it to taste more like veggies.”

By 2 p.m., there’s already talk about Shawn Dogs branching out into bagels and cappuccino in the morning, salads at lunch, perhaps some Ben & Jerry’s Heath bar crunch.

Brad Lapin, who owns a video store, drops by to wish his brother Shawn good luck. “One son owns a video store and one son owns a hot dog stand,” he says. “Dad’s two favorite things--eating hot dogs and watching movies.”