Kelly Clarkson’s visit to a Brooklyn novelty shop has turned into a public back-and-forth with the store, and the singer shows no sign of letting it go. Clarkson said on X on Saturday, Oct. 10, that staff at Art of Play in Brooklyn Heights treated her as if she could not afford what she wanted to buy. The store answered on Sunday, and Clarkson replied again the same day.
What Clarkson said
In her first post, Clarkson wrote that she “just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store” and had “a few things in mind to buy,” but was “looked at as if I couldn’t afford it.” She added that the worker offered to find “something comparable” for her. She told fans to visit the shop “if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman,” a reference to the film’s boutique scene. USA Today and TODAY report that the post called the employee an “idiot” who “just lost a huge sale.”
CBS New York reports that the item she asked about was a singing bird priced at $15,000, according to Clarkson’s account.
How the store responded
Art of Play posted a statement on Instagram on Oct. 11. It said Clarkson asked about “Molly,” a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton used in the shop’s magic shows, and that Molly “is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale.” The store also said the “negative experience Kelly described” would “resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop,” without confirming or denying her version of events.
The statement said the shop was “suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store” and ended with a nod to Clarkson’s hit “Stronger,” writing that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” In a statement to CBS News, the owner said the $15,000 figure was the price of a nearly identical machine owned by an artist in Seattle, and that this was explained to Clarkson.
Clarkson’s reply
Clarkson did not accept that account. She wrote that she had pointed at a price tag on the wall labeled “Singing Bird” and asked whether it was for sale, and that the worker said it was but cost $15,000. “That all never happened and now it’s not for sale,” she wrote, adding that the store was “not only rude, you’re also a liar.” She also said she supports small businesses but that “you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business.” She closed by writing, “Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.”
Neither side’s version of the in-store conversation has been independently confirmed. Per TODAY, online reaction has split, with Clarkson’s fans criticizing the shop and many New York locals sharing good experiences there. Representatives for Clarkson had not responded to requests for comment in the reports reviewed.
Sources: CBS New York, USA Today, TODAY, Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, Page Six. Featured image is an editorial illustration, not a photo of the people or shop involved.
