The Brooklyn store at the center of Kelly Clarkson’s viral “Pretty Woman” controversy is facing even more questions after briefly posting — and then deleting — a message that appeared to indirectly defend its customer service.
The dispute began after Clarkson visited Art of Play, a Brooklyn curiosity shop selling unusual toys, puzzles, games and decorative pieces.
Clarkson later said the shopping trip went badly enough that it reminded her of Julia Roberts’ famous boutique experience in Pretty Woman.
According to Clarkson, she drove to Brooklyn already intending to purchase several things but felt that a store employee looked at her as though she couldn’t afford what she was interested in.
She said the employee offered to find her something “comparable,” which Clarkson interpreted as a suggestion that she needed something less expensive.
Clarkson publicly blasted the encounter and said the employee had lost what could have been a major sale.
The criticism quickly spread across social media — and Art of Play soon offered a very different account.
The store said Clarkson had asked about “Molly,” a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton used as part of the magic performances held inside the shop.
According to Art of Play, Molly was permanently installed and simply wasn’t for sale.
The business said it was surprised by the enormous wave of criticism that followed Clarkson’s comments and emphasized that customers were welcome in the store whether they purchased anything or not.
But while that public statement attracted plenty of attention, something else happened on the store’s social-media account.
Art of Play briefly shared a positive customer review praising the staff’s kindness and welcoming behavior.
Then the post disappeared.
Because the review appeared while Clarkson was publicly accusing the store of doing exactly the opposite, some observers interpreted the post as a subtle attempt to counter her allegations without mentioning her directly.
Its quick deletion made the timing even more noticeable.
However, there is no evidence that Art of Play confirmed the review was posted specifically as a response to Clarkson.
Calling the deletion an admission of wrongdoing would therefore go further than the available evidence supports.
What happened next made the dispute considerably messier.
Clarkson fired back after seeing the store’s explanation and insisted that its version didn’t match what happened inside the shop.
She said the employee specifically discussed the price of the bird — $15,000 — before offering to find her something comparable.
Clarkson argued that if the item truly wasn’t available for purchase, the interaction should simply have ended with the employee explaining that fact.
Then she introduced another piece of evidence.
Clarkson shared a photograph that appeared to show Molly displaying a $15,000 price tag.
That directly complicated the store’s claim that the automaton was simply a permanent fixture with no possibility of being sold.
Clarkson subsequently accused the business not only of being rude but also of being dishonest about the encounter afterward.
Art of Play, meanwhile, maintains that Molly is a unique part of its in-store experience and wasn’t available for purchase.
The business has also said the backlash following Clarkson’s post has been overwhelming, pointing to the enormous reach of her social-media following.
That creates two sharply different versions of the same brief interaction.
According to the store, Clarkson wanted an object that wasn’t for sale and the employee attempted to direct her toward something that actually could be purchased.
According to Clarkson, she was explicitly told the object cost $15,000 and then spoken to in a way that made her believe the employee had decided she couldn’t afford it.
The deleted customer-review post doesn’t resolve that dispute.
But its timing has added another strange detail to a story already filled with conflicting claims.
And Clarkson’s photo of the apparent price tag has now shifted even more attention toward one unanswered question:
If Molly was never for sale, why did the display appear to show a $15,000 price?
Until Art of Play explains that discrepancy, Kelly Clarkson’s supposedly simple shopping trip may continue generating considerably more controversy than either side expected.
