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Kelly Clarkson is accusing Art of Play of misrepresenting a shopping encounter after the Brooklyn store challenged her account of what happened.<\/p>\n
The singer responded on Sunday, October 11, with a detailed description of her conversation with an employee, Entertainment Weekly<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n She first criticized the business after visiting on Saturday, comparing the experience to the dismissive treatment Julia Roberts\u2019 character receives in Pretty Woman<\/em>.<\/p>\n Art of Play is a curiosity shop in Brooklyn Heights selling puzzles, games, books and unusual home goods.<\/p>\n Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn\u2019t for sale.<\/p>\n Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Clarkson said she pointed to a price tag labeled \u201cSinging Bird\u201d and asked whether the item could be purchased. According to her account, the employee answered yes, quoted a price of $15,000 and offered to find her something comparable.<\/p>\n She described his tone as condescending and said he looked her up and down. She interpreted the offer of an alternative as a judgment about whether she could afford the item.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re not only rude, you\u2019re also a liar,\u201d she wrote after reading the store\u2019s explanation.<\/p>\n Clarkson also shared an image presented as the displayed price information. EW reported that she reposted part of a fan\u2019s post containing the photograph. Her rebuttal appeared on both X and Instagram Stories.<\/p>\n Art of Play identified the display as Molly, a singing and dancing bird automaton that serves as a mascot and appears in its magic shows. Its first statement said the bird is permanently attached to the wall and unavailable for purchase.<\/p>\n The Brooklyn location houses a 26-seat theater for close-up magic performances, according to its website<\/a>. The owner told CBS New York<\/a> that the quoted price concerned a similar bird owned by its Seattle creator.<\/p>\n In its follow-up statement, the store identified the artist as Bliss Kolb and said he was willing to sell that piece. It maintained that staff had explained the arrangement to Clarkson during her visit.<\/p>\n The business said staff offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird made by a traditional German clockmaking shop. That model cost approximately $2,000 and could have been taken home immediately, but the store claimed she left before seeing it, Page Six<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Clarkson also rejected the suggestion that criticizing the shop meant she did not support small businesses. She said her decision to visit and spend money there demonstrated the opposite.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n She said publicly calling someone out was unusual for her, then separated her opinion of the shop from her assessment of the employee: \u201cYour store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n The store\u2019s first response described the online backlash as overwhelming and said people were criticizing a business they had never visited. It also said browsers and paying customers were equally welcome.<\/p>\nClarkson Says She Was Told the Bird Was for Sale<\/h2>\n
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The Store Says the Price Referred to Molly\u2019s Twin<\/h2>\n
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Clarkson Says Small Businesses Still Have to Treat Customers Well<\/h2>\n
Art of Play Says It Has Contacted Clarkson Directly<\/h2>\n