Kelly Clarkson thought she had found the perfect store to visit in Brooklyn. Instead, she says she left feeling so unwelcome that she decided to tell millions of people about the experience. After the store responded, so has Kelly.
Keep reading to know more.
On October 10, Kelly Clarkson took to X to describe what allegedly happened when she visited Art of Play, a Brooklyn store known for its unusual gifts, puzzles, games, toys, and magical experiences.
Clarkson said she had driven all the way there because she loved what she had seen and already had several items in mind to purchase.
But according to her account, the interaction with an employee left her feeling as though she had been judged by her appearance, and assumed to be unable to afford what she wanted.
“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,” she wrote.
Clarkson did not hide her frustration.
“Wow, dude,” she continued. “You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”
Then came the line that really caught people’s attention.
“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,” she added sarcastically.
The store responded to Kelly’s accusations
Her complaint wasn’t simply that she didn’t receive the shopping experience she expected. It was that, in her telling, someone seemed to make assumptions about what she could afford before giving her a fair chance to shop.
Once Clarkson’s post began circulating, fans expressed disbelief that the singer had allegedly been treated that way.
“People saying “maybe he didn’t know who Kelly Clarkson was” are missing the point that they should be treating their customers like everyone is Kelly Clarkson” one person wrote.
The store responded, saying that the item she was inquiring after had not been for sale. They wrote, “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. However, the negative experience Kelly described on twitter would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop.”
The statement went on to read, “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.
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””
As soon as the statement came out, people accused Clarkson of bullying an independent business. “Using your fame to try and destroy a small business because one employee hurt your ego is wild. I’d say shame on you but you have none. Gross,” one person wrote.
But Kelly was not done – she responded again
However, Kelly Clarkson soon responded to the allegation by Art of Play that the item she inquired about was not for sale, even added screenshots. She wrote, “Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with 👍 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.” That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it ✅”
She went on to defend her position of appreciating small businesses, “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.”
She also attached pictures to the post of the bird in the past where it seems a price tag is on the wall, advertising the item for sale.
However, the store has now come out with ANOTHER response
The business has since then responded to Clarkson’s claims again, calling the entire thing a misunderstading. They wrote, “We’d like to clarify some additional details about Kelly Clarkson’s visit to our Curiosity Shop on Saturday.
During the 5 minutes she spent in the store, she inquired about our mechanical bird puppet named Molly. 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. We explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson.
We also offered to show her a different singing bird automaton, made by a traditional clockmaking shop in Germany, that she could have taken home with her that day. It costs about $2,000. She did not stick around long enough to see it.
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.”
People have been incredibly confused by the entire situation and suspicious of the business. One person pointed out the discrepancy with the previous statement, writing, “10 hours ago: Molly is one of a kind and was not for sale…… Now that Kelly has shown proof of a price tag next to her: well she isn’t one of a kind, there’s a TWIN for sale. Talk about doubling down. Good grief” another person added, “It can’t be “one of a kind” and also have a twin”
It seems a lot of poeple are invested in the entire situation. Share this with others who like to keep up with the latest news from Hollywood.
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