A Brooklyn toy shop has established itself at the center of a community fig net perform following Kelly Clarkson stated she received the "Pretty Woman" care whenever she inquired concerning a $15,000 item in the store.
In an X post on Saturday, the singer stated she had a negative cognition at Art of Play, a toy shop in New York City.
"Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to inspect out this shop I idea looked really rad and had a few things in intellect to buy and exactly was looked at as if I couldn't oversee it and was told he could discover item comparable for me," Clarkson wrote in her post, adding that the shop "just misplaced a huge sale."
Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to inspect out this shop I idea looked really rad and had a few things in intellect to buy and exactly was looked at as if I couldn’t oversee it and was told he could discover item comparable for me. Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and fair misplaced a huge sale. But y’all should go inspect out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you bask being treated akin Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, inspect it out 👎
— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 10, 2026
She afterward compared her cognition to the care Julia Roberts' character receives in the '90s rom-com "Pretty Woman," telling group to sojourn the shop if they enjoyed being treated that way.
Clarkson's article on X had received additional than 39.4 myriad views and complete 261,000 likes as of Sunday evening.
As her article gained traction, Art of Play responded on Instagram the next day alongside its own document of the interaction, saying the toy Clarkson had inquired concerning was a animal automaton that's "permanently attached to the partition and isn't for sale."
The shop stated it understood why Clarkson's document "would resonate alongside anyone who has always felt judged in a shop," but stated that it welcomed visitors equally, whether they came to browse or buy.
"Imagine our astonishment whenever our small local endeavor was abruptly attacked by 8 myriad group who have never visited our store. It's been a surreal cognition to be the concentration of specified general outrage following fair one citation by a celebrity," the shop stated in a declaration on Instagram.
The shop afterward thanked its supporters and stated it planned to keep a low profile, during expecting to "clear things up" alongside Clarkson one day.
The community toggle did not end there.
On Instagram Stories and on X, Clarkson countered Art of Play's account, sharing a photo she stated showed the bird's $15,000 cost tag, alongside alongside additional particulars concerning her conversation alongside a personnel member.
"Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn't for sale. That's the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with," Clarkson wrote on Sunday.
She stated the personnel associate "elevator eyed her" and told her "in a condescending tone" that the item was for transaction but disbursal $15,000, before offering to discover her a "comparable" alternative.
Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go alongside 👍 so the entire conversation we had whenever I asked you if it was for transaction whilst pointing to the cost tag hanging on the partition alongside the heading Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending spirit “yes, it’s for transaction but it expenses 15,000 dollars so if you’d akin me to discover item comparable for you I can.” That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not lone rude, you’re additionally a liar. Got it ✅ And by the way, I evidently assistance small businesses since I was exactly at a small endeavor trying to acquisition things. I affection small businesses and cognize they are crucial and I continually assistance them, but you don’t get a liberated continue to treat group small than in your shop fair since you are a small business. It’s not that difficult to be kind. I never blast group but you my companion were an exception. Your shop is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.
— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) October 11, 2026
"That all never happened and now it's not for sale. Okay, cool. So you're not lone rude, you're additionally a liar. Got it," Clarkson stated in her post.
On Sunday night, Art of Play issued another Instagram declaration saying that although the toy Clarkson inquired concerning was permanently attached to its wall, the creator of the automaton owned a nearly identical animal and was consenting to market it for $15,000.
The shop stated it had explained this difference to Clarkson and had additionally offered to display her a different, German-made singing-bird automaton priced at concerning $2,000, although she "did not rod about lengthy adequate to see it."
It stated it had contacted Clarkson immediately in an attempt to "clear the air."
Clarkson and Art of Play did not immediately react to Business Insider's requests for comment, which were made exterior regular endeavor hours.
The net weighed in
The community back-and-forth additionally appeared to immediate a bout of assessment bombing on Art of Play's assessment pages.
When Business Insider archetypal checked the store's Google Reviews at about 9 pm ET on Sunday, it had a 4.7-star ranking according to 273 reviews, including multiple latest one-star complaints that appeared to be connected to the store's ongoing community disagreement alongside Clarkson.
About three hours later, the store's Google Reviews showed a 5-star ranking according to 253 reviews. The latest negative reviews Business Insider had viewed before were no longer visible.
Google did not immediately react to questions concerning whether it had removed reviews connected to the event or taken another act on the listing.
On Yelp, Art of Play had a 2.4-star ranking according to 154 reviews whenever Business Insider checked the leaf at 12:17 a.m. ET on Monday, alongside latest posts reflecting a polarized reply to the dispute. Some criticized the store, referencing Clarkson and "Pretty Woman," during others defended it, citing their own affirmative experiences.
Several reviewers additionally acknowledged that group were weighing in notwithstanding not having visited Art of Play, alongside one calling on the community to halt attacking a small shop complete a celebrity's complaint. Yelp did not immediately react to a petition for comment from Business Insider.
Business Insider could not independently verify whether the latest reviewers had visited the store.
The risks of taking a disagreement online
Danny Deraney, originator of LA-based Deraney Public Relations, stated he doesn't accept there volition be a winning flank in the dispute.
"Fans volition obtain her flank before acknowledging the reply of the another party," Deraney told Business Insider.
While Art of Play was correct to react publically to defend its business, Clarkson should have raised the matter immediately alongside the shop fairly than on the internet, he said.
Deraney stated the event appeared to affect an idiosyncratic at the store, and that a community pile-on can put a small endeavor at hazard before the complete environment is known.
"Even if Kelly is correct concerning how she was treated, workforce who did not engage alongside her, and the business, could end up getting the worst of it," he said.
Deraney added that group on the net have to be careful concerning judging either side, since they weren't there to observer the exchange.
"It benefits neither the individual nor the endeavor whenever all this could have been resolved through discussion. I do not think there is a need to prosecute up; letting the matter dissolve is the finest course, and it will," Deraney said.
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Amanda is a elder manner newsman at Business Insider's Singapore bureau.Her reporting explores how group navigate important existence transitions, including occupation changes, relocation, and retirement, alongside a particular concentration on the experiences of those living in Asia. She additionally writes concerning travel, culture, wellness, and relationships.In 2025, she won the Singapore Press Club's Rising Stars Young Digital Journalist Award.She earlier worked as a author and video manufacturer at a satisfied promotion agency in Singapore. She graduated from the University at Buffalo alongside a BA (Hons) in Sociology.
