KINGS COUNTY, N.Y. —
Music superstar Kelly Clarkson is having a public social media feud with a small business in Brooklyn over an item she wanted to buy.
Video above: Hearst TV hosts a conversation with Kelly Clarkson in 2024
The feud kicked off over the weekend when Clarkson called out the store, Art of Play, on X, explaining that she’d driven into Brooklyn and was treated rudely. The singer compared the situation to the Julia Roberts’ scene in “Pretty Woman” where the character tells the store clerk she made a “big mistake, huge” by not waiting on her.
“Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson wrote. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out.”
The post sparked many reactions from social media users; some people were upset on Clarkson’s behalf, and others felt like she shouldn’t be publicly slamming a small business.
In response, Art of Play released a statement on Instagram and claimed that the item Clarkson wanted, an automaton bird figurine, wasn’t for sale.
“Yesterday, Kelly Clarkson visited us in Brooklyn and inquired about buying ‘Molly,’ a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton who plays an important role in the magic shows we host here. Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale,” the store posted on Instagram. “However, the negative experience Kelly described on twitter would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop. At Art of Play whether someone comes in to make a purchase or simply look around for a while, they are equally welcome. We greet everyone who walks in the door with the invitation to ‘pick things up and play.’ And they do, many stay for hours enjoying our puzzles, games and toys.”
They also wrote, “Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store. It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity. Thanks to all our friends for their support and welcome to all the curious folks who have discovered us amidst the drama. We’re going to keep our heads down and hopefully, we can clear things up with Kelly someday. As a talented popular singer once said, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.'”
Clarkson responded with another social media post.
She claimed that the bird she wanted was for sale, while saying “you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar.” Clarkson then defended herself against people calling her out for coming after small businesses, writing “And by the way, I obviously support small businesses because I was literally at a small business trying to purchase things. I love small businesses and know they are important and I always support them, but you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business. It’s not that hard to be kind. I never blast people but you my friend were an exception. Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.”
Art of Play responded again to “clarify one additional detail,” saying they explained to Clarkson that the item she wanted was for sale elsewhere for $15,000, and noted that they offered her a different/similar bird “made by a traditional clockmaking shop in Germany” for $2,000 but “she did not stick around long enough to see it.”
They ended their second statement with, “We’ve reached out to Kelly directly to try and clear the air. We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”