Kelly Clarkson says she got the Pretty Woman treatment when she attempted to do some shopping at a small toy, magic and home goods store in Brooklyn, N.Y.
For those who haven’t seen the classic Richard Gere and Julia Roberts rom-com: That means that she showed up hoping to buy a pricey item hanging on the wall and, according to Clarkson, a salesperson treated her condescendingly and attempted to steer her toward something less expensive.
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After she took the experience to social media, the store — called The Art of Play — responded to dispute what happened, and things quickly escalated into a full-on Internet war.
Kelly Clarkson’s Feud With a Brooklyn Small Business, Explained
- Kelly Clarkson visited The Art of Play in Brooklyn last week, hoping to buy a mechanical bird puppet hanging on the wall.
- She says that the salesperson assumed she couldn’t afford it, and condescendingly steered her toward something else.
- The shop responded to deny Clarkson’s story and say the bird wasn’t for sale.
- Clarkson shared a photo of what appeared to be a $15,000 price tag next to the item.
- But the store said that the exact bird Clarkson was looking at was the shop’s unofficial “mascot,” and that she’d actually been given the opportunity to purchase a replica from the artist for $15,000 — or something similar, for $2,000, that they had right there in the store.
Keep reading for a full breakdown, complete with screenshots and statements from both parties.
Why Did Kelly Clarkson Blast a Brooklyn Small Business On X?
On Saturday (Oct. 10), Clarkson said on X that she “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.”
But she didn’t wind up purchasing anything at The Art of Play because of her exchange with the person at the counter.
She says she was “literally looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson continues. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”
What Did The Brooklyn Store Say After Kelly Clarkson Blasted Them On Social Media?
In an Instagram post, The Art of Play said that they never intended to make Clarkson feel like she couldn’t afford to shop there.
They stated that the item she wanted to buy simply wasn’t for sale.
According to the store’s explanation, that item is “a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton who plays an important role in the magic shows we host here” named Molly, who is “permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale.”
The Art of Play shared several Instagram Stories posts from supporters, including some videos of Molly in action.
Also among those was a pinned post The Art of Play shared to Instagram on Sept. 5, which invited shoppers to come explore “our favorite items not for sale” on Labor Day. A mechanical bird that appears to be Molly is pictured in the first slide of that post.
However, nowhere in that Labor Day post did the store explicitly say that Molly wasn’t for sale, which is important because…
Kelly Clarkson Says That the Brooklyn Boutique Lied About An Item Not Being For Sale
Kelly Clarkson’s next social media post included a closeup photo of the mechanical bird installation, which shows a price tag of $15,000.
She says she pointed to that price tag during her conversation with the salesperson, “as you elevator-eyed me saying ‘Yes it’s for sale but it costs $15,000 so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.'”
“Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it,” Clarkson writes.
“And by the way I obviously support small businesses because I was literally at a small business trying to purchase things,” she continues.
“…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,” Clarkson added. “I never blast people but you my friend were an exception.”
The Art of Play responded once more, this time to say that they offered Clarkson the opportunity to purchase a “nearly identical item” from the same artist for $15,000.
But the artist — and the other bird — are in Seattle. So, the shop says, they offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird automaton that he had there in the store, and that item cost $2,000.
“She did not stick around long enough to see it,” the shop adds.
They also added that they’d been in touch with Clarkson’s team in an attempt to “clear the air.”
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Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
