Kelly Clarkson is in a full-blown feud with a Brooklyn store called Art of Play, and it all started over a mechanical singing bird named Molly. Clarkson says the staff treated her like she couldn’t afford the item, comparing the experience to Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. The store responded on Instagram claiming Molly was permanently attached to the wall and never for sale in the first place. Then Clarkson fired back on X, saying the price tag was visible, an employee condescendingly told her it cost $15,000, and the store was not only rude, but also a liar.
The store says it was, in their words, suddenly attacked by 8 million people after Clarkson’s first post, which is a wild sentence when you remember this is a local shop famous for curated design objects. Clarkson made it clear she supports small businesses, but she doesn’t think that comes with a free pass to make customers feel small. The whole thing blew up because it’s such a relatable moment. Most of us have stood in a store and felt judged by someone who decided we weren’t serious buyers.
Now everyone’s picking sides, and honestly both arguments have legs. Was it a miscommunication about a display piece? Or did someone get condescending and then scramble for a better story? Either way, the internet grabbed the popcorn and didn’t let go.
Whose side are you on here? The shopper or the small business?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.