A Brooklyn toy shop has found itself at the center of a celebrity internet drama after Kelly Clarkson said she received the “Pretty Woman” treatment when she inquired about a $15,000 item in the store.
In an X post on Saturday, the singer said she had a negative experience at Art of Play, a toy store in New York City.
“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,” Clarkson wrote in her post, adding that the store “just lost a huge sale.”
She then compared her experience to the treatment Julia Roberts’ character receives in the ’90s rom-com “Pretty Woman,” telling people to visit the store if they enjoyed being treated that way.
Clarkson’s post on X had received more than 39.4 million views and over 261,000 likes as of Sunday evening.
As her post gained traction, Art of Play responded on Instagram the next day with its own account of the interaction, saying the toy Clarkson had inquired about was a bird automaton that’s “permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale.”
The store said it understood why Clarkson’s account “would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop,” but said that it welcomed visitors equally, whether they came to browse or buy.
“Imagine our surprise when our small local business 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,” the store said in a statement on Instagram.
The store then thanked its supporters and said it planned to keep a low profile, while hoping to “clear things up” with Clarkson one day.
The public exchange did not end there.
On Instagram Stories and on X, Clarkson countered Art of Play’s account, sharing a photo she said showed the bird’s $15,000 price tag, along with additional details about her conversation with a staff 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 said the staff member “elevator eyed her” and told her “in a condescending tone” that the item was for sale but cost $15,000, before offering to find her a “comparable” alternative.
“That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it,” Clarkson said in her post.
On Sunday night, Art of Play issued another Instagram statement saying that although the toy Clarkson inquired about was permanently attached to its wall, the creator of the automaton owned a nearly identical bird and was willing to sell it for $15,000.
The store said it had explained this distinction to Clarkson and had also offered to show her a different, German-made singing-bird automaton priced at about $2,000, although she “did not stick around long enough to see it.”
It said it had contacted Clarkson directly in an effort to “clear the air.”
Clarkson and Art of Play did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s requests for comment, which were made outside regular business hours.
The internet weighed in
The public back-and-forth also appeared to prompt a bout of review bombing on Art of Play’s review pages.
When Business Insider first checked the store’s Google Reviews at around 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, it had a 4.7-star rating based on 273 reviews, including several recent one-star complaints that appeared to be connected to the store’s ongoing public dispute with Clarkson.
About three hours later, the store’s Google Reviews showed a 5-star rating based on 253 reviews. The recent negative reviews Business Insider had viewed earlier were no longer visible.
Google did not immediately respond to questions about whether it had removed reviews connected to the incident or taken other action on the listing.
On Yelp, Art of Play had a 2.4-star rating based on 154 reviews when Business Insider checked the page at 12:17 a.m. ET on Monday, with recent posts reflecting a polarized response to the dispute. Some criticized the store, referencing Clarkson and “Pretty Woman,” while others defended it, citing their own positive experiences.
Several reviewers also acknowledged that people were weighing in despite not having visited Art of Play, with one calling on the public to stop attacking a small shop over a celebrity’s complaint. Yelp did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Business Insider could not independently verify whether the recent reviewers had visited the store.
The risks of taking a dispute online
Danny Deraney, founder of LA-based Deraney Public Relations, said he doesn’t believe there will be a winning side in the dispute.
“Fans will take her side before acknowledging the response of the other party,” Deraney told Business Insider.
While Art of Play was right to respond publicly to protect its business, Clarkson should have raised the issue directly with the store rather than on the internet, he said.
Deraney said the incident appeared to involve an individual at the store, and that a public pile-on can put a small business at risk before the full context is known.
“Even if Kelly is right about how she was treated, employees who did not interact with her, and the business, could end up getting the worst of it,” he said.
Deraney added that people on the internet should be cautious about judging either side, since they weren’t there to witness the exchange.
“It benefits neither the person nor the business when all this could have been resolved through discussion. I do not think there is a need to follow up; letting the issue dissolve is the best course, and it will,” Deraney said.
