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Kelly Clarkson’s public clash with a Brooklyn shop has left its owner concerned about more than a lost sale.
Adam Rubin, co-owner of Art of Play, and children’s author, spoke with Fox News Digital inside the Brooklyn store Tuesday morning, claiming the singer has put his business in danger following their viral dispute over a $15,000 mechanical singing bird.
Meanwhile, the bird at the center of the controversy now has a staggering $15 million price tag.
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Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin poses with Molly, a mechanical singing and dancing bird that has become a fixture at the Brooklyn shop. (Fox News Digital)
“But I am afraid for the safety of our shop. Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger,” Rubin told Fox News Digital.
Rubin claimed the backlash has extended beyond angry comments online, with people associated with the business allegedly facing threats and having their personal information exposed.
“We’ve got incredible support from our neighbors and fans over the past few days and all of them have been attacked, threatened, doxed,” he said.
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Rubin also accused Clarkson of an “abuse of power,” arguing that the singer’s enormous platform has intensified the backlash against his small business.
Rubin argued that Clarkson’s celebrity status carries a responsibility, saying, “you can’t just try to squash somebody like a bug and expect everybody to give you a pass.”
Rubin also questioned why strangers would go to such lengths to attack a small business on behalf of a celebrity, expressing frustration that people who had never visited his store were joining the backlash.
The mechanical bird that sparked the dispute has also undergone a dramatic price change.
A photograph taken Tuesday by Fox News Digital shows a new sign beside Molly identifying the bird as a creation of artist Bliss Kolb, with an eye-popping price of $15 million.
Molly, a mechanical singing bird designed by Bliss Kolb, is displayed at Art of Play in Brooklyn alongside a $15 million price tag and a look at its intricate inner workings. (Fox News Digital)
The sign describes Molly as “The world’s most famous singing bird automata!” and lists its price as “$15,000,000.”
The new figure is 1,000 times the original $15,000 price at the center of Clarkson’s complaint.
Art of Play previously explained in a public statement that the original $15,000 figure referred to a nearly identical automaton available from artist Bliss Kolb, while Molly herself is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a fixture in the store’s magic performances.
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Rubin also addressed the dramatic price change during his conversation with Fox News Digital, pointing to the attention Molly has received since Clarkson’s visit.
He described the new figure as a matter of “supply and demand,” while the store has maintained that the bird is not for sale.
Rubin suggested Molly’s sudden notoriety has made her one of the most recognizable mechanical birds in the world.
The new sign offers a striking contrast to the original $15,000 price tag that Clarkson cited in her complaint.
The price change adds another twist to a dispute that began Saturday when Clarkson visited the Brooklyn shop and later accused an employee of treating her as though she couldn’t afford its merchandise.
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Clarkson initially took to social media to describe what she considered a humiliating shopping experience, comparing her treatment to Julia Roberts’ character in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman.”
“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 singer later doubled down on her account after Art of Play disputed her version of events.
Clarkson maintained that she had pointed to a $15,000 price tag and was told the bird was available for purchase, but that an employee suggested finding her something comparable.
“So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it,” Clarkson wrote in a follow-up post.
Art of Play has maintained that the encounter was a misunderstanding.
In its public response, the store explained that Molly is a permanent fixture in the shop and that employees had offered Clarkson the opportunity to purchase a similar bird from its creator.
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Kelly Clarkson rose to fame after winning the inaugural season of “American Idol” in 2002 and has since built a successful career as a singer and television host. (Art Streiber/NBC via Getty Image)
The business also said another singing bird automaton, priced at approximately $2,000, was available.
For Rubin, however, the controversy has become much more personal than a disagreement over an unusual piece of merchandise.
During his conversation with Fox News Digital, the co-owner revealed that he had recently undergone a medical procedure and was not supposed to be working.
“I’m not even supposed to be here today. I got a cancer removed from my face last week,” Rubin said.
“I’m getting the stitches out tonight,” he added.
Rubin said his concern about the store’s safety was the reason he came in despite recovering from the procedure.
The co-owner also wanted to explain what Art of Play represents beyond the dispute that has suddenly brought it national attention.
“This is a curiosity shop,” Rubin told Fox News Digital.
He described a business built around objects intended to inspire curiosity, including spinning tops, kaleidoscopes, puzzles, games and playing cards.
“And the reason this place exists is to make people feel like a kid again,” Rubin said.
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Kelly Clarkson is returning to “The Voice” as a coach for Season 30. (Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Images)
The business began online before operating a small location in San Diego. Rubin said the Brooklyn shop opened approximately two years ago.
Rubin, who is also a children’s book author and magician, has spent years working in the world of illusion and performance.
The Brooklyn store also houses a small theater that hosts close-up magic performances, with Molly serving as the opening act, according to Rubin. Art of Play has previously maintained that the bird is permanently attached to the wall and was not available for purchase.
Despite the public dispute, Rubin said Clarkson would still be welcome back at the shop.
“We messaged her. I don’t know if she saw it. I don’t know if she cares,” Rubin said.
Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for Clarkson for comment.
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Fox News Digital’s Janelle Ash and Christina Dugan-Ramirez contributed to this report.