Kelly Clarkson recently had a shopping experience she probably did not expect.
The singer drove all the way to Brooklyn to visit a store she had been excited to check out, but things allegedly took an unpleasant turn when she tried to shop there.
Instead of leaving with the items she had in mind, Clarkson left with a story she decided to share with millions of people online.
One fan joked, “As you were leaving, we hope you told him who you were.”
Kelly Clarkson called out a Brooklyn store after she received rude treatment from the staff
On October 10, Clarkson posted on X, which has over 27 million views, to share her experience at Art of Play, a store in Brooklyn, New York.
The singer said she traveled to the store because she liked what she saw and had several items she wanted to buy.
“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.
Clarkson was clearly unhappy with the interaction and did not hold back when addressing the employee.
“Wow, dude,” she continued. “You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”
The singer then named the store and sarcastically encouraged people to visit.
“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.
Clarkson’s reference to Pretty Woman comes from one of the 1990 romantic comedies’ most memorable scenes.
The film stars Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward, who visits an upscale boutique but receives dismissive treatment from a salesperson because of her appearance. The employee assumes Vivian cannot afford the clothes and refuses to help her properly.
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Vivian later returns to the store dressed elegantly and carrying shopping bags from other shops. She confronts the saleswoman and reminds her that she had refused to serve her the previous day.
“You work on commission, right? Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now!” Vivian tells her.
The scene became an iconic moment in the film, showing Vivian getting the last word after being judged by her appearance.
According to Art of Play’s website, the store offers “a unique collection of magical home goods, puzzles, games, toys and books.”
It also features a 26-seat theatre that hosts close-up magic performances.
Clarkson’s post quickly attracted attention, with fans expressing disbelief that the singer had allegedly been treated that way
“Wow! Imagine not knowing THE Kelly Clarkson,” one commented.
One fan also joked about the possible consequences for the employee, writing, “Glad he didn’t waste your time. Unfortunately for him, he’s about to have a lot of free time.”
However, many people pointed out that the issue was not simply whether the employee recognized Clarkson.
“People are missing the entire point. The point isn’t that the salesperson should have recognized Kelly. The point is, he shouldn’t be judging anyone based on their appearance. You don’t have to be dressed up in Gucci to get help at a store.”
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One online user wrote that judging customers by how much money they appear to have is bad business.
Another urged the store to focus on serving shoppers instead of assuming their spending power.
“I worked luxury retail all my life, later had my own business. You can never, ever, tell who has money and who is going to spend money,” said one commenter.
The incident also sparked a debate about how retail workers treat people who walk into their stores. Some users argued that a salesperson should help customers find what they want rather than deciding what they can afford.
As soon as Clarkson’s post went viral, the Brooklyn store received negative reviews
The backlash did not stop at social media comments.
Some people also took their frustration to the store’s online business listings, leaving negative reviews after hearing about Clarkson’s experience.
One Google reviewer wrote, “y’all mean to Kelly Clarkson? Heck no.”
Several reviews reportedly appeared around October 10, with users criticizing the alleged treatment of the singer and calling for better customer service.
However, not everyone supported the wave of negative reviews.
One customer left a five-star review and criticized people for trying to damage the business over an incident they had not personally witnessed.
“It’s one thing to be a fan but to try to put this shop out of business knowingly is reprehensible,” the reviewer wrote.
The debate also reached Art of Play’s Instagram page.
One person commented, “Miss Kelly sent me,” while another wrote, “We ride at dawn for Kelly Clarkson.”
Some users offered a different explanation for the alleged encounter. One suggested that the employee might simply have been having a bad day.
Others disagreed, arguing that retail workers should not take their personal frustrations out on customers.
Although the reaction grew quickly, the claims about the shopping trip came from Clarkson’s account. The store did not publicly confirm her description of the interaction.
After severe backlash, the Brooklyn store finally responded with a message about kindness
Hours after Clarkson’s post, Art of Play shared an Instagram Story featuring a positive message from another customer.
“From the very first time I walked into @artofplay, I felt welcomed and treated with such genuine kindness,” the customer wrote.
The message went on to praise the store’s atmosphere and staff, describing it as a place that left visitors smiling and wanting to return.
However, the store later deleted the repost before the usual 24-hour period for Instagram Stories had passed, according to Us Weekly.
Art of Play did not issue a formal public response addressing Clarkson’s allegations, according to the reports available at the time.
“This is so typical of snobby retail staff,” wrote one netizen
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