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Art of Play isn’t playing around.
The Brooklyn, New York, store that received a scathing review from Kelly Clarkson for its allegedly poor treatment of her has posted a mea culpa of sorts. They also claimed the talk show host tried to buy an item that wasn’t for sale.
Their latest message comes after the shop posted, then deleted, positive reviews about the staff’s “kindness.”
“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 wrote on X, on Sunday. “Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale.”
The independent business then expressed dismay that Clarkson had such a negative shopping experience, likening herself to Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman.”
“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 shared.
“Wow, dude,” the “American Idol” winner continued, seemingly calling out a specific associate she’d interacted with. “You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”
Clarkson concluded her post by telling her 8.8 million followers on the social media platform: “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.”
“At Art of Play, whether someone comes in to make a purchase or simply look around for a while, they are equally welcome,” the store wrote, adding that many people “stay for hours enjoying our puzzles, games and toys.”
The store shared that they were shocked when they were “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.”
The business went on to thank friends for their support amid the kerfuffle and ended the note quoting one of Clarkson’s biggest hits, the 2011 song, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).”
“We’re going to keep our heads down and hopefully we can clear things up with Kelly someday,” they concluded. “As a talented popular singer once said “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”