Kelly Clarkson alleges discriminatory treatment at Brooklyn toy store
The singer said a staff member at Art of Play treated her as if she could not afford items, prompting her to share the incident on social media.
Kelly Clarkson posted on X that during a recent visit to Art of Play in Brooklyn, an employee looked at her as if she could not afford the merchandise and suggested finding a cheaper alternative. She likened the experience to the scene in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman" where a boutique saleswoman dismisses a customer presumed to be unable to pay.
"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.
"Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale," she added.
The post attracted reactions from followers, with some defending Clarkson and others posting negative reviews of the store online. A Yelp reviewer described the staff as "rude" and gave a zero-star rating.
Art of Play has not issued a formal comment. An Instagram Story later shared a positive customer review praising the staff’s "genuine kindness," but the story was subsequently removed. A spokesperson for the store did not respond to a request for comment.