Mothers Work Inc. and Rite Aid Corp. reported modest increases in same-store sales during April, the key measure of retail health, while the Bon-Ton Stores Inc. reported a small decline.

Besides its flagship Urban Outfitters chain, the retailer operates Anthropologie and Free People stores. Together, those businesses posted the 10 percent gain in same-store sales in the company's first quarter, which ended April 30, compared with the same period a year earlier.

But the company's biggest growth came in its two other units: Direct-to-consumer sales via the Internet were up 34 percent in this year's first quarter, and the wholesale unit posted a 22 percent year-over-year gain.

Among its brick-and-mortar stores, same-store sales at Anthropologie rose 10 percent; Free People, 19 percent; and Urban Outfitters, 10 percent. Same-store sales measure results at stores open at least a year and eliminate the effect of store openings and closings.

Urban Outfitters said its total sales increased 25 percent in the quarter to $394.29 million from $314.54 million in a year earlier.

Urban Outfitters reports its sales quarterly while other local retail chains give monthly numbers.

In yesterday's announcement, Urban Outfitters said it planned to open 45 stores this year. The company now has 256 stores under its three brand names.

Highlights from the other local retailers that reported April results:

Mothers Work, the Philadelphia maternity retailer, said sales in its 995 stores open for the full year were up 2.3 percent compared with the same stores in April of last year.

The increase was within the range of the forecast the company had given analysts: from a 1 percent loss to a 3 percent gain. The numbers do not include 477 leased sites in Sears stores, which will close in the fall.

"We saw a strong improvement in our sales trend in April, compared to our March sales performance, as we experienced more springlike weather," said Rebecca Matthias, president and chief creative officer.

She also cited initial sales of apparel using the company's new "Secret Fit Belly" feature. The feature uses a superstretch fabric for all types of bottoms.

At the end of April, Mothers Work operated 1,529 locations. Its brands are Motherhood Maternity, A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity, and Destination Maternity.

Bon-Ton Stores, of York, Pa., said sales at stores open for a year declined 0.9 percent compared with April 2007. The company has 280 stories in 23 states.

"The retail environment remains challenging, and traffic remains inconsistent," said Tony Buccina, vice chairman and president.

Rite Aid, the Camp Hill, Pa., drugstore chain, said its April same-store sales were up a half-percent over the same month last year.