Kelly Clarkson feuds with Brooklyn toy store over mechanical bird

Singer Kelly Clarkson visited a Brooklyn toy store on Saturday, sparking a dispute over an expensive mechanical singing bird. The public disagreement unfolded across social media posts between the television host and the New York City shop.

Clarkson stopped by Art of Play over the weekend. She alleged an employee assumed she could not afford an expensive item. She said the worker offered a cheaper comparable item instead.

Clarkson posted about the encounter on X. She claimed the shop treated her like the Julia Roberts character in the movie Pretty Woman.

Clarkson criticized the retail worker directly online.

“You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale,” Clarkson wrote in her initial post.

Art of Play addressed the claims on Instagram. The store stated the singing and dancing bird automaton is nicknamed Molly. The shop said the display piece plays an important role in hosted magic shows. The business stated the bird was not actually for sale.

The shop described the online reaction in an official statement.

“It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity. … We’re going to keep our heads down and hopefully, we can clear things up with Kelly someday,” the store wrote, in part, in the Instagram post.

The business quoted Clarkson’s own song in the statement. The shop wrote that what does not kill you makes you stronger.

Clarkson responded on X on Sunday. She refuted the claim that the item was not available for purchase. She shared an image showing a $15,000 price tag.

She rejected the explanation provided by the retailer.

“So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it,” Clarkson wrote.

Clarkson stated she always supports small businesses. She wrote that store owners do not get a free pass to mistreat customers. She added that it is not hard to be kind.

The Brooklyn store issued a follow-up statement on Instagram on Monday. The business stated the shop bird was not for sale. It explained that the original artist was willing to sell a separate identical model for $15,000.

The shop detailed the history of the artwork online.

“We explained that while Molly is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot for our shop, a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines, a brilliant artist named Bliss Kolb who lives in Seattle. He told us he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000. We explained all of this to Kelly Clarkson.”

Store representatives reported offering a different singing bird automaton worth about $2,000. The store stated Clarkson did not stay long enough to see it. The shop said staff reached out to clear the air.

Art of Play operates as a specialty novelty shop in Brooklyn. Retail disputes between businesses and consumers commonly prompt direct customer service outreach to resolve public misunderstandings.

Clarkson had not responded to the Monday statement. A representative for Art of Play was not immediately available to comment.