Kelly Clarkson reignited a public dispute with Brooklyn novelty store Art of Play after the business challenged her account of an uncomfortable shopping experience.
The disagreement has escalated beyond the singer and television personality's original post, with both sides publicly disputing what was said during the encounter.
The clash has drawn attention to Art of Play and exposed the impact celebrity criticism can have on small businesses.
Newsweek reached out to Clarkson and Art of Play via email for comment on Monday outside regular office hours.
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The dispute began after Clarkson compared her experience at Art of Play to the famous "Big mistake. Huge" shopping scene from Pretty Woman, where Julia Roberts' character is dismissed by store staff based on assumptions about her spending power.
Since then, millions of people have viewed the singer's criticism, prompting the Brooklyn business to issue multiple public responses defending its version of events.
What To Know
On Saturday, Clarkson posted on X that she had traveled to Brooklyn specifically to visit the store after spotting some "really rad" items she wanted to buy.
According to the singer, a staff member suggested finding her something "comparable" rather than showing her the products she was interested in. Clarkson said she felt she was treated as if she could not afford the merchandise and compared the experience to Pretty Woman.
"You just lost a huge sale," she wrote, while encouraging followers to visit the store if they enjoyed being treated like Roberts' character in the movie.
Store Responds
Art of Play responded with a lengthy Instagram statement addressing Clarkson's claims.
The store said the discussion centered on "Molly," a singing and dancing bird automaton that serves as a fixture in its magic shows. Staff said the bird is permanently attached to the wall and is not available for purchase.
While expressing sympathy for anyone who has ever felt judged while shopping, Art of Play said it welcomes visitors regardless of whether they spend money and invites customers to interact with its games, toys and puzzles.
The business also said it was shocked to become the target of criticism from millions of people who had never visited the shop after being mentioned by a celebrity.
Art of Play is a New York curiosity shop founded by twin brothers Dan and Dave Buck that sells puzzles, games, books and more and hosts intimate magic shows in an attached theater.
Clarkson Fires Back
Clarkson was unconvinced by the explanation.
In a follow-up X post, she accused the store of changing its story and disputed the claim that Molly was never for sale.
The 2002 American Idol winner said a price tag displaying $15,000 was visible near the bird and alleged a staff member told her that the item could be purchased for that amount.
Clarkson claimed she was then offered the option of finding something comparable and said the exchange left her feeling patronized.
"You're not only rude, you're also a liar," she wrote.
Clarkson added that she regularly supports small businesses and argued that their size should not exempt them from criticism if customers are treated poorly.
New Details Emerge
On Monday, Art of Play issued another statement on Instagram, adding fresh details to its account.
The store said Clarkson spent about five minutes inside and asked about Molly. According to Art of Play, staff explained that an almost identical bird is owned by Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb, who would be willing to sell the twin automaton for $15,000.
The business said this was the figure discussed during the visit, not the bird mounted on its wall.
Art of Play also said it offered to show Clarkson a different singing bird automaton made by a traditional German clockmaker that retails for about $2,000 but claimed she left before seeing it.
The shop said it has contacted Clarkson directly in an effort to resolve the disagreement and expressed hope that both sides could eventually laugh about the misunderstanding.
Business Leans on Customer Support
As the controversy continued, Art of Play appeared to shift attention toward its reputation among regular customers.
The store posted numerous customer reviews to its Instagram Stories, highlighting positive experiences shared by visitors.
Author and actor John Hodgman wrote via Instagram: "@artofplay is a magical shop (and a magic shop) and the people who run it are really kind. It's also a theater - one of the few places on the east coast where one can routinely see world class close up magic in a secret room in the back. This seems like a very sad misunderstanding."
"Art of Play is the best place with the best people. All are welcome," Instagram user @magicmark52 shared.
"It's literally just a store run by the best people. And selling all of the coolest things you've ever seen," @struth_novogratz said.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips.