The tale of the pink and teal houses

Editor's note: Tony Sidoti died in late November, his family said. This article was published in the December 2022 edition of Sandusky Living magazine, which was written and sent to press before his passing. As the sun rises in Sandusky each day, the shining light illuminates all the beautiful colors the quaint town has on display: The deep sea green of Lake Erie, the wonderful white of the Boy in the Boot, the bold blue of the schools and Strobel Field, and the endless rainbow of shades in either the flowers or holiday lights that fill Washington Park and downtown, depending on the time of year it is. At the northernmost end of Campbell Street, there are two houses in particular that have gained quite a reputation for how bright they are, especially in the Sandusky sun. What makes these similar in structure but vastly different dwellings so eye-catching is their unusual exterior colors, pink and teal. The homes sit side-by-side in a row of mostly blander buildings. Some children speculate there must be something magical there, as both properties have an almost whimsical aura about them; they stop their bikes as they ride by, curious of the carousel-like characters in the window. Others suspect something more supernatural and possibly sinister; they don't dare get close while alone, but are sure to make it a stop around Halloween. An entire generation of local kids grew up with a hometown staple of one brightly colored Campbell Street home, and the next is growing up with two. Many still have no idea that behind them isn't a fairy princess or a ghastly ghoul, but rather sweet and savvy businesswoman Susan Sidoti. How the homes got their look Born and raised in Sandusky, Sidoti, 72, always had a strong work ethic and took great pride in what she poured her heart into. First it was her career in the service industry, then the purchase of her first home (which would come to be famously pink), then her marriage to husband Tony, and finally into the small businesses and passion projects they would take on together. "I like to be different and I just want to do what I want to do," Sidoti laughed, answering the frequently asked question of why she chose such unusual external house colors. "Pink has always been my favorite color, and then teal sort of became one of my favorite colors. So when we bought the house next door, said to myself, 'I'm going to paint it a few different colors of teal.' And that's what I did." In 1984, Sidoti purchased her first Campbell Street property, prior to wedding her husband. At the time, it was a beige and hunter green, but it was then painted ivory with country-blue trim, which garnered her a City of Sandusky Pride property award. Later, it would be painted a bright pink, staying that way for a while before ultimately being sided a slightly paler, but still nevertheless eye-catching, pink. The decision to purchase and renovate the property next door to their beloved pink home was inspired in part by logical business and financial sense, but then motivated by the desire to add more color and beauty to their neighborhood. The previous rental tenants had left the home so disgusting and destructed that there were no other interested bidders besides the Sidotis at the sheriff's auction in which it was sold in 2017. Seeing the potential investment opportunity, the Sidotis were able to purchase their now teal home for a steal of a price. "It was terrible, it was such a dump. It was white with white trim, I think, too," Sidoti recalled. "The yard was an absolute mess, the house was an absolute mess. We're still working on parts of it but we've redone almost every room." Long term, the couple knew that once given the tender loving care needed, the second home could be essentially an insurance policy, garnering one of them a sizeable profit if sold in the event of the other's passing. Currently, however, the teal house is primarily being used for its initial intended purpose: storing the wares from their businesses, Sweet Treats and Treasures and Faroh's Candy and Gifts, located on the corner of Scott and Warren Street, both of which are also considered Sandusky staples to many. "I've said we should sell the businesses, but Tony knows our regular customers so well and people appreciate him," Sidoti said, speaking fondly of her husband. "He's so friendly to everyone. We have regulars that come in for specific things, and Tony knows when they're about due to come in and what they want. Another person couldn't do that, it wouldn't be the same." Though there are no plans for any such event to ever be hosted at their legendary pink and teal homes, the Sidotis do invite and encourage everyone to stop by their annual Holiday Open House at Sweet Treats and Treasures and Faroh's Candy and Gifts. The gathering takes place the first weekend in December and will feature special sales, Christmas candies, novelty candies, and a plethora of decore options perfect for this time of year.