Power Pair: ‘The Laundry Guy’ and the music critic

What do you get when a music critic shares a home with a laundry and cleaning expert?  

Some cool playlists for cleaning house, for sure.   

Ross Raihala became the Pioneer Press pop music critic in 2004, just a year before he met his longtime partner Patric Richardson. Over the two last decades, Richardson went on to open a vintage designer clothing store and become the go-to expert for laundry dilemmas and stubborn stains.

MPR News host Angela Davis revisits her conversation with the couple who can turn house cleaning into a disco party. Raihala and Richardson talk about their careers, how they met and how they support each other.

Guests:  

• Ross Raihala joined the Pioneer Press as pop music critic in 2004, after stints at The Forum in Fargo, N.D., and The Olympian in Olympia, Wash. He covers local and national music as well as some theater and other arts and entertainment topics.

• Patric Richardson is the owner of Mona Williams, a shop at the Mall of America that specializes in vintage designer clothing. He was the host of “The Laundry Guy” on HGTV and is the author of “Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore” and “House Love: A Joyful Guide to Cleaning. Organizing, and Loving the Home You’re In.”

Do you know a Power Pair?

We’d love to hear your ideas for 2025. We’re talking with prominent Minnesotans who you may know of separately but who reveal something new when we sit them down together. Maybe they’re married or siblings or best friends. They could be business partners or a parent/adult child dynamic duo.

Click here to suggest a Power Pair.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.  

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.