Yelp locks Art of Play's page as Kelly Clarkson fans pile on with bad reviews

Kelly Clarkson's supporters have taken her side in the Art of Play dispute to the internet. The Brooklyn toy and puzzle shop's Yelp page has been put on hold after a wave of angry reviews.

A pause and a warning

Yelp temporarily switched off the store's profile and added a notice saying the business had drawn a burst of public attention. The message warns that people often show up on such pages to share opinions about the news instead of their own visits.

What the reviewers wrote

Many of the new posts slammed the staff as rude. One reviewer joked that customers are allowed to browse but should not bother trying to buy anything.

Another one-star review said the shop's public reply to the singer made things worse. Others accused employees of judging shoppers by how they dress and urged people to spend their money somewhere else because no apology had been offered.

Things grew so heated that BuzzFlow.AI, a review management startup, posted a video pitching free help for the shop.

Not everyone agreed

A few customers stood up for the store. One five-star review praised its one-of-a-kind items and said the staff welcomes guests to play with the displays. The writer said their young children have always been encouraged to try things out, even when the family walked in muddy from soccer.

The spat began after Clarkson said she was snubbed at the shop while trying to buy Molly, a mechanical singing bird the owners said was not for sale.