Kelly Clarkson says Brooklyn shop snubbed her; store says bird was not for sale
Clarkson said Art of Play treated her as if she could not afford its goods. The Brooklyn shop said the bird automaton she wanted is used in its shows.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
2 min read
Kelly Clarkson’s Art of Play dispute has pitted the singer’s account of a bad shopping experience against the Brooklyn curiosity shop’s explanation that the item she wanted was never on the market.
Clarkson wrote in a Saturday post on X that an Art of Play employee treated her as though she could not afford the merchandise she had hoped to buy. She said she was offered something similar instead and told the employee they had lost a major sale, according to NBC News.
Art of Play responded Sunday on Instagram, saying Clarkson had asked to buy Molly, a one-of-a-kind automaton bird that sings and dances. The shop said Molly was not for sale because the mechanical bird is part of the magic shows held there.
What did Art of Play say about Kelly Clarkson’s visit?
The store said all visitors are welcome. Its post acknowledged that the experience Clarkson described would resonate with people who have felt judged while shopping.
But Art of Play did not directly address Clarkson’s specific allegation that a staff member had acted as if she could not afford what she wanted, NBC News reported. The store’s account explains why Molly could not be purchased, while the question of how the interaction came across remains disputed.
Clarkson’s post drew backlash for the Brooklyn shop
Clarkson compared her experience to the scene in Pretty Woman in which Julia Roberts’ character is dismissed by boutique staff, NBC News reported. Her post set off online criticism of Art of Play and negative reviews directed at the business.
In its response, Art of Play described the reaction as overwhelming and said it had suddenly become the target of people who had not visited the store. The shop said it hoped to clear things up with Clarkson someday.
Representatives for Clarkson and Art of Play did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the syndicated NBC News report published by AOL.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.