The Brooklyn retail store Kelly Clarkson accused of giving her the “Pretty Woman” treatment has responded to her claims, stating that the singer attempted to buy an item that was not for sale.
Art of Play addressed the situation on its Instagram account Sunday, explaining that Clarkson had inquired about purchasing "Molly," a "one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton" that plays a role in the store's magic shows. The automaton, they clarified, is permanently attached to the wall and not available for purchase.
"However, the negative experience Kelly described on twitter would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop," the store wrote.
Clarkson had previously taken to X, formerly Twitter, to complain about the service she received at Art of Play. She recounted driving to the Brooklyn store only for employees to apparently look at her as if she "couldn’t afford" a particular piece. She stated that employees offered to "find something comparable" for her, which she interpreted as a slight.
"Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale," Clarkson posted at the time, advising followers to visit the store if they enjoyed being treated like Julia Roberts' character in the movie "Pretty Woman."
Following Clarkson's post, Art of Play's Yelp page reportedly received numerous negative reviews, with some users echoing Clarkson's sentiment about feeling judged.
The store maintained in its Instagram post that "everyone is equally welcome" and expressed surprise at the backlash. "Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store," the store wrote. "It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity."
Art of Play concluded its statement by thanking supporters and quoting Clarkson's song "Stronger," writing, "As a talented popular singer once said ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’"