Staff at a Brooklyn toy shop say the one item Kelly Clarkson asked to buy during a Saturday visit is the one item no customer can take home.
Art of Play, an independent store in New York City’s most populous borough, made the claim in a Sunday post on X.
The message came a day after Clarkson publicly criticized her treatment there.
The store named the item “Molly.” It described her as a mechanical bird that sings and dances.
“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.
The post then addressed the sale question directly. “Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale,” the store stated.
Clarkson’s own account appeared on X over the weekend, and Page Six reported on it. The “American Idol” winner wrote about the trip in her own words.
“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.
She appeared to aim her next remarks at one employee. “Wow, dude,” she continued. “You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”
Clarkson compared the experience to a scene from the film “Pretty Woman,” in which Julia Roberts plays the lead role. She posted the message to 8.8 million followers.
“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 concluded.
Art of Play replied with a description of its customer policy. “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.
The shop said browsing is common among its visitors. Many people, it said, “stay for hours enjoying our puzzles, games and toys.”
The store also reported what happened after Clarkson’s post went out.
It said it 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.”
Page Six reported a separate development. According to the outlet, the shop published customer reviews praising the kindness of its staff, then removed them.
The store thanked its friends for their support in its Sunday message. The statement did not name any employee.
Art of Play ended its post by referencing Clarkson’s 2011 hit “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” The store pointed to the singer’s own catalog as it closed.
“We’re going to keep our heads down and hopefully we can clear things up with Kelly someday,” the shop wrote.
Its final line read: “As a talented popular singer once said “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
The coverage of the store’s statement included no public reply from Clarkson.
Art of Play, which pairs its retail floor with magic shows, had not announced any further steps as of Sunday.
