We went to Old Navy and saw why the brand is Gap's secret weapon

Shutterstock/Northfoto

Old Navy has become Gap's saving grace.

Gap Inc, the parent company of its namesake brand, Banana Republic, and Old Navy, has reported negative same-store sales growth for the past two years.

Independently, however, the Old Navy brand has seen positive same-store sales growth for the past five years. Last quarter, sales were up 8%, boosting Gap Inc's share price and rescuing it from an otherwise gloomy period.

We visited a Gap and an Old Navy store on a rainy Thursday afternoon in one of New York's busiest shopping areas: Herald Square. We saw firsthand why the brand is resonating well with customers: