The Brooklyn toy store locked in a public feud with Kelly Clarkson over a $15,000 mechanical bird has reached out to the singer through multiple channels but has yet to hear back, according to a source close to the shop.
Art of Play, a novelty boutique in Brooklyn, has been flooded with online hostility since Clarkson, 43, posted about her visit on X last weekend, yet the store is still attempting to open a direct line of communication with the “Since U Been Gone” singer. “They have not heard from Kelly but have reached out via multiple channels,” the source exclusively said.
While the digital backlash persists, the neighborhood has rallied around the shop. “They’ve experienced such an outpouring of support from neighbors and visitors to the store,” the source continued. “Anyone who stops by can plainly see. Other businesses have dropped off gift bags and sent flowers.”
The same source noted that the staff has tuned out the online vitriol. “They have gotten nothing but love in real life. The hatred continues online, but they stopped looking days ago.”
Store co-owner Adam Rubin broke down his employees’ account of the interaction in an exclusive interview this week. He maintained that Clarkson was never denied a purchase. “She did not take out her Black Card and try to buy the thing off the wall. She was not told no, she was not told to leave,” he said.
Rubin explained that the bird, named Molly, is mounted permanently and part of a complicated commissioning process. “She asked about the bird. It’s on the wall, and attached permanently. It was explained to her that it’s a complicated situation to get these things made,” he shared. “They take years. There’s one guy that makes them, and if we have seriously interested buyers, then we talk to the artist and try to work something out.”
According to Rubin, the employee instead offered to show Clarkson a comparable automaton priced at $2,000. He framed the dispute as a basic clash of perspectives. “It’s just like [a] he-said, she-said thing, right?” he said. “So she’s going to say one thing, I’m going to say another thing. The point of it is, nothing happened in the shop that was so dramatic that it’s worth throwing a Molotov cocktail into a mom-and-pop business.”
Rubin also claimed no one recognized Clarkson during her visit and that she received standard customer treatment. Despite the escalating public conflict, he added that she remains welcome to return.
The dispute ignited when Clarkson took to X last weekend to vent about her experience. “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.
“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. 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 added in the post.
The store responded with a statement clarifying that the mechanical bird Clarkson had inquired about was not for sale. Clarkson fired back with a follow-up post disputing that claim. “Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with 👍,” she wrote on X.
“So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.'”
“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 ✅,” she continued. She also shared a photo of the feathered automaton alongside what appeared to be a $15,000 price tag.
Leaked security footage from the visit showed Clarkson, dressed in a baseball cap and oversized tee, browsing Art of Play for less than five minutes before appearing to scold staffers and leaving abruptly.
The controversy has translated into a commercial boost for the store, which specializes in collectible playing cards, puzzles, games, and whimsical home goods. “They have absolutely been seeing increased foot traffic with many people coming just to take a selfie with Molly,” a regular customer said of the mechanical bird.
Prior to the national attention, Art of Play already counted wealthy repeat clients among its base. “They get the same repeat customers all of the time,” the shopper noted. “It’s always busy. Everything is delicate.”
Rubin has accused Clarkson of leveraging her celebrity platform to attack a small business, claiming that he and his staffers were subsequently bombarded with hateful messages.