Kelly Clarkson’s dispute over a $15,000 bird takes another twist as owner responds

Kelly Clarkson is welcome to return to Art of Play, the Brooklyn curiosity shop at the centre of a public dispute over an expensive mechanical bird, co-owner Adam Rubin has said.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Rubin said the singer was “welcome anytime” despite their disagreement over her visit to the store. Clarkson, 44, previously claimed that a shop employee treated her condescendingly when she asked about buying an automaton bird named Molly, which was displayed with a $15,000 price tag.

The American Idol winner compared the experience to Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman, alleging that the employee assumed she could not afford the item and offered to find her something comparable.

Art of Play disputed Clarkson’s account, explaining that Molly was a one-of-a-kind piece that was not available for purchase. However, the shop later clarified that a nearly identical automaton could be ordered through its creator in Seattle for $15,000. Staff also claimed they offered Clarkson a similar item for $2,000, but she left before viewing it.

Clarkson subsequently challenged the store’s explanation, sharing a photograph of Molly’s price tag and accusing the shop of being rude and dishonest.

The controversy escalated after Rubin told New York magazine that the bird’s price had been raised to $15 million because of increased public interest. He described the disagreement as an “insane misunderstanding” and criticised Clarkson for publicly discussing the encounter.

Security footage shared by journalist Pablo Torre on YouTube on October 13 showed Clarkson inside the store for several minutes. The footage captured her speaking with an employee, looking at items and eventually leaving the premises.

Despite the public disagreement, Rubin said he was willing to move on, noting that everyone has a bad day. He added that the situation changed when Clarkson used her platform to criticise the business.