Posted on Oct 01, 2024 at 9:40 am by

By Joshua Anderson for the Peekskill Business Improvement District

Bruised Apple remains a quiet sentinel for book lovers in Peekskill. Scott Sailor, the owner and seasoned bookseller, understands the charm of a well–loved book and the excitement of a rare find.
In addition to his passion for books, Sailor enjoys exploring and trying new things. From white water rafting and mountain biking to re-learning how to skateboard, he’s a man of perpetual action—just like when it came to fixing up the building that is commonly referred to as “THE” Bruised Apple.


“When I rented the place, I basically just ripped everything out. It took me so much work,” Sailor said. There was a drop ceiling with fluorescent light panels and white tiles. There was wall-to-wall mauve carpeting, which was glued on top of particle board and screwed down to the wooden floor. Some spots had no wood flooring at all and went straight to dirt. Sailor had to scrape all the surfaces by hand with wire brushes, patch up all the holes, and repaint everything.  The original brick walls give the place a charming ambiance.

In referring to his bookshelves, “I designed them all. I built them all. It’s just cheap pine wood, cheap as I could get. But then I stained everything by hand,” Sailor said.  But the “aisles are wide enough to avoid the dreaded claustrophobia,” according to the store’s website, www.bruisedapplebooks.com.

The website also says the store has about 50,000 titles organized into about 200 subject headings. Sailor says the number has grown a bit, though what he has added most are records. The store carries CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records.

Bruised Apple does not sell books through their website, though Sailor does put some unique pieces on Amazon marketplace from time to time. Sailor steers clear of extensive online or website sales, noting that, “I’d rather just put a price on the book. I’ll put it on the shelf and deal with the person when they walk in.”

Adapting to changing times and listing rare finds online are important, but the soul of this place will always be in the personal connection Sailor makes with his customers. “I’m an unofficial tourist bureau because I’m giving advice all the time,” Sailor said. The store carries an interesting selection of new books and maps about history and the outdoors in the Hudson Valley.

The beautiful hand-painted sign outside of the building helps attract those tourists. The sign was made by a friend of Sailor’s who works for Croton River Woodworking; they met through mountain biking.

Bruised Apple customers come from all around, a mix of locals and tourists. Sailor calls it a “destination shop” that brings people into Peekskill who may have continued driving past the Man Street exit off Route 9.

Many are tourists coming from New York City on a day trip and Peekskill is a great place to spend a day. It’s a shop for all ages from, “people hobbling in here with a cane to little kids who you can’t even believe they’re on their own,” Sailor said.

Prior to opening the storefront, “bookstore cafés were not a thing on the East Coast yet. Saw plenty out traveling west back-and-forth to a summer job in Alaska,” Sailor said. His extended family owned an antique shop that he would visit when he was younger. In school, he found himself collecting books and studying literature–even diving into journalism and becoming the editor-in-chief of his college newspaper.

According to the American Booksellers Association there were 1,500 bookstores in 2010 and 2,500 in 2023. Statista reports that online sales of used books are increasing.
The revenue trend in America also points to the fact that the industry has been steadily growing for the past 30 years. IBISWorld reports used books contributed $1.5 billion to the U.S. Economy in the 1990s. In 2023 the used books market was valued at $3 billion.

Concerning a New York Times article published on his shop in April, 1994, a year after he opened, Sailor said, “Yeah, that was huge. We got so much business after that so many people suddenly knew about us.” This was a significant turning point in the bookstore’s history, reinforcing  its impact and stimulating its growth following the increased exposure.

The bookstore accepts donated items, especially unusual or interesting ones that fit the store’s aesthetic and vibe. Still, Sailor is not actively searching out these “oddball” items anymore as he has only a limited amount of space left in his store. Sailor does not accept any school, reference books, dictionaries or encyclopedias. They don’t sell much anymore because people have access to everything they contain right on their cell phone.

Today, Bruised Apple is more than just a business; it’s a cultural cornerstone of Peekskill, located at 923 Central Avenue. According to a hand drawn sign on the door, the place is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 7pm “always, sometimes later.” Mondays are “sometimes” and Tuesdays are “more likely,” but the shop is generaly closed on the first two days of the workweek. As Sailor continues to turn the pages of his own book, and write his next chapter, he and his shop stand resilient as a reminder that in this world of constant change and technology advances, some stories, and the places in which they are housed, can be timeless and worth preserving like a used book.

(C) 2024 Peekskill Business Improvement District. Photos by Joshua Anderson. Edited by Bill Powers. 
If you are a downtown destination business, and would like to be considered for an upcoming profile article, please email us at peekskillbid1@gmail.com.