Ribbon Cutting!

MCGREGOR, Minn.—A familiar McGregor business has new owners, as Brandie Milligan and Robert Merritt recently purchased the local laundromat from Sue and Scott Anderson, who owned and operated the business for the past 20 years.

For the Andersons, the laundromat became more than simply a business over the years. It became a familiar part of the McGregor community and something they considered their “baby.” After years of ownership, they wanted to find buyers who would continue to give the business the personal attention it deserves.

“We really like that it feels right,” the Andersons said, adding that they believe the laundromat could not have gone to better hands.
For Milligan and Merritt, the decision to purchase the business was motivated by a desire to start something of their own while contributing to the community.

“Honestly, just to kind of put our touch on it,” Milligan said. “We just wanted to start something and help contribute to the community, just like Scott and Sue contributed for the 20 years that they had it.”
The couple also recognized the importance of keeping a laundromat in McGregor. With limited options nearby, the business provides an important service for local residents, visitors and neighboring communities. “It’s really important for this community to have it here,” they said. “There’s nothing else close.”

Merritt brings previous business experience to the new venture. He and his late wife, Sheila, previously operated Northland Catering. He currently works as a service writer for Raveill Trucking, a position he has held for about a year and a half.



Milligan has a background in banking and currently works as a supervisor at Neighborhood National Bank in Aitkin. While neither had previously operated a laundromat, Merritt said his mechanical abilities will be helpful in keeping the equipment running. “I am extremely mechanical,” he said. “There are a lot of different resources out there regarding machine failures and things like that. With all the resources at our fingertips now, it should be manageable.”

The couple has been together for three and a half years and is engaged, with plans to marry next year. Their family has also recently entered a new chapter, with their daughter getting married last year and welcoming a baby this year. They are now looking forward to their own new adventure as business owners.

For the Andersons, selling the laundromat was a decision that came with some emotion after two decades of ownership. They said they had received interest from potential buyers in the past, but some were from out of town and they were concerned the business might not receive the same level of personal attention. “It is kind of personal,” they said.

Milligan and Merritt said they are excited to continue that personal connection and put their own stamp on the business while maintaining its role in the community. The new owners said they are looking forward to the future and to becoming another local business committed to McGregor. “I’m very excited for it,” Milligan concluded.