• by Sarah Mahoney , May 5, 2011

The late Easter holiday sent consumers shopping after all, with the nation's biggest retailers turning in solid gains for April. And some were downright stellar: Limited Brands says its comparable-store sales gained 20% for the month, with the new Dream Angles lingerie launch driving sales up 25% at its Victoria's Secret division. A few teen retailers also stood out, with sales climbing 17.5% at Zumiez and 14.5% at The Buckle.

Despite rising gas prices, sales gains held steady across most categories, with Kantar Retail reporting an 8.7% gain in its composite index, which tracks 27 large retailers. Last month the index gained 2.5%, and in April of last year, it gained just 1.2%. For the combined March-April period -- an important time frame because of the shift of the Easter holiday -- same-store sales rose 5.4% this year, compared to 5.7% in the same two-month period last year.

Department store sales were also quite strong, with Dillard's reporting an 11% gain, Kohl's turning in a 10.2% advance, and Macy's posting an increase of 10.2% for the month. For Macy's, that means total March-April combined same-store sales achieved a 5.3% growth rate, well ahead of its projections. "Macy's and Bloomingdale's both performed well in stores and online," Terry J. Lundgren, chairman/ CEO, says in its release. "Sales throughout the quarter were especially robust in southern climate zones, which bodes well for our spring fashion offering as the weather becomes warmer and drier in northern markets."

At JC Penney, however, sales rose just 6.4%.

And while Target says its same-store sales got a bounce of 13.1%, they were still "somewhat below our expectations, as guests continued to be very cautious in their spending leading up to Easter," Gregg Steinhafel, chairman/CEO, says in its release. "Target remains focused on delivering an outstanding shopping experience ... This is more important than ever for our guests as they face increasing pressure on their household budgets due to higher energy costs and increasing prices of food, apparel and home merchandise."

At the Gap, sales gained 8% overall in April, with comparable-store sales adding 2% for its Gap North American stores, 11% at Banana Republic; and 14% at Old Navy.

The San Francisco-based retailer also announced that it has dismissed Patrick Robinson, its top designer.