Art of Play Disputes Kelly Clarkson's Account of Brooklyn Visit

A dispute between singer Kelly Clarkson and Brooklyn specialty shop Art of Play escalated across social media on October 10-12, 2026, after Clarkson accused employees of treating her dismissively during a shopping visit. The store disputed her account, explaining that the mechanical bird she asked about was not for sale, while acknowledging that her description of feeling judged in a store could resonate with customers.

Clarkson initially said she had traveled to Brooklyn intending to purchase several items but felt staff assumed she could not afford what she wanted. She compared the encounter to Julia Roberts' character in the film Pretty Woman, whose appearance prompts a salesperson to dismiss her.

Clarkson wrote on X that she had been “looked at as if I couldn’t afford it.”

She also described being offered an alternative item.

Clarkson said she “was told he could find something comparable for me.”

She criticized the store and identified it publicly in her post.

“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale,” Clarkson wrote.

Art of Play responded on October 11, explaining that the disagreement involved Molly, a mechanical bird used in the shop's magic shows. The business said the bird was permanently attached to a wall and was not available for purchase.

“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,” the store said.

The business acknowledged the broader concern raised by Clarkson's account.

“Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale. However, the negative experience Kelly described on twitter would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop,” Art of Play said.

The store thanked supporters and referred to Clarkson's music in its statement.

“Thanks to all our friends for their support and welcome to all the curious folks who have discovered us amidst the drama,” the business wrote.

It added that it hoped to resolve the disagreement.

“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,’” the store said.

Clarkson challenged the store's explanation in another X post on October 11, accusing employees of misrepresenting the conversation. She also argued that being a small business did not excuse discourteous treatment.

“not only rude, you’re also a liar,” Clarkson wrote, describing the staff.

She then disputed the claim that the bird had never been offered for sale.

“Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with 👍” Clarkson wrote.

Clarkson provided further details about the alleged exchange, saying she had pointed to a price tag on the wall identifying the item as Singing Bird.

“So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.’”

She rejected the store's account of the exchange.

“That all never happened and now it’s not for sale,” Clarkson wrote.

She also addressed criticism that her comments unfairly targeted a small local business.

“You don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business,” Clarkson wrote.

She continued by defending her decision to speak publicly about the encounter.

“It’s not that hard to be kind. I never blast people but you my friend were an exception,” she wrote.

Clarkson nevertheless acknowledged the shop's appeal.

“Your store is really cool,” she wrote.

She followed that praise with criticism of the employees.

“Unfortunately, you aren’t,” Clarkson added.

Art of Play published a follow-up statement early on October 12 to address another detail of the visit.

“clarify one additional detail about Kelly Clarkson’s visit,” the store said in describing the purpose of its update.

The business said Clarkson spent approximately five minutes inside and asked about Molly. It explained that the machine's creator, Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb, owned a nearly identical automaton that could be purchased.

“During the 5 minutes she spent in the store, she inquired about our mechanical bird puppet named Molly,” Art of Play wrote.

The store then explained the distinction between the display item and the alternative available from its creator.

“We explained that while Molly is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot for our shop, a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle. He told us he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000.”

According to the store, employees also offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird that could be taken home that day for $2,000.

Art of Play said Clarkson “did not stick around long enough to see it.”

The business said it contacted Clarkson directly in an effort to resolve the dispute and “clear the air.” It did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment about her October 11 statements.

The shop, located in Brooklyn Heights, sells home goods, magic-themed gifts, cards, games, puzzles and toys. The store said it encourages visitors to interact with its merchandise.

“And they do, many stay for hours enjoying our puzzles, games and toys,” Art of Play said.

The business also described the scale of the reaction to Clarkson's original post.

“Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store,” the statement said.

It characterized the experience as unexpected following the celebrity's public criticism.

“It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity,” Art of Play said.

A store post published several weeks earlier had featured Molly among its “favorite items not for sale,” according to the report. Following the exchange, Clarkson's supporters criticized the business on its social media pages, while other commenters, including New York residents, shared positive experiences with the shop.