Fair Value (Table 1) (Details) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012
Company's assets measured at fair value
Money market funds	$ 0	$ 209,041
ARS - available-for-sale - student loan backed	4,787	84,650
ARS - available-for-sale - municipal authority bonds	15,323	14,858
Municipal notes and bonds held in the Rabbi Trust		0
Derivative financial instruments	12,177	10,770
Total assets measured at fair value	32,287	319,319
Derivative financial instruments	154	1,458
Total liabilities measured at fair value	154	1,458
Fair Value Inputs Level 1 [Member]
Company's assets measured at fair value
Money market funds	0	209,041
ARS - available-for-sale - student loan backed	0	0
ARS - available-for-sale - municipal authority bonds	0	0
Municipal notes and bonds held in the Rabbi Trust		0
Derivative financial instruments	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value	0	209,041
Derivative financial instruments	0	0
Total liabilities measured at fair value	0	0
Fair Value Inputs Level 2 [Member]
Company's assets measured at fair value
Money market funds	0	0
ARS - available-for-sale - student loan backed	0	0
ARS - available-for-sale - municipal authority bonds	0	0
Municipal notes and bonds held in the Rabbi Trust		0
Derivative financial instruments	12,177	10,770
Total assets measured at fair value	12,177	10,770
Derivative financial instruments	154	1,458
Total liabilities measured at fair value	154	1,458
Fair Value Inputs Level 3 [Member]
Company's assets measured at fair value
Money market funds	0	0
ARS - available-for-sale - student loan backed	4,787	84,650
ARS - available-for-sale - municipal authority bonds	15,323	14,858
Municipal notes and bonds held in the Rabbi Trust		0
Derivative financial instruments	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value	20,110	99,508
Derivative financial instruments	0	0
Total liabilities measured at fair value	$ 0	$ 0