INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 28, 2012	Jul. 30, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010
INCOME TAXES
Income (loss) before income taxes from U.S. operations	$ 142,200,000	$ 118,500,000	$ 112,900,000
Income (loss) before income taxes, foreign operations	8,600,000	7,900,000	(900,000)
Current
U.S. Federal	55,083,000	24,971,000	31,818,000
State & Local	9,002,000	7,091,000	7,147,000
Foreign	1,471,000	2,180,000	(345,000)
Total, current	65,556,000	34,242,000	38,620,000
Deferred
U.S. Federal	(7,506,000)	14,273,000	5,488,000
State & Local	462,000	1,207,000	(427,000)
Foreign	929,000	40,000
Total, deferred	(6,115,000)	15,520,000	5,061,000
Total
U.S. Federal	47,577,000	39,244,000	37,306,000
State & Local	9,464,000	8,298,000	6,720,000
Foreign	2,400,000	2,220,000	(345,000)
Total income tax (benefit) expense	59,441,000	49,762,000	43,681,000
U.S. statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Income tax expense (benefit), income tax reconciliation
Computed ''expected'' tax expense	52,774,000	44,252,000	39,201,000
State and local income tax, net of Federal income tax benefit	6,152,000	5,394,000	4,368,000
Non-deductible expenses	1,260,000	1,111,000	872,000
Tax effect of share-based compensation	(140,000)	(440,000)	78,000
General business credits	(231,000)	(1,021,000)	(215,000)
Other, net	(374,000)	466,000	(623,000)
Total income tax (benefit) expense	59,441,000	49,762,000	43,681,000
Allocation of total income tax expense (benefit)
Income tax expense	59,441,000	49,762,000	43,681,000
Stockholders' equity, difference between compensation expense for tax purposes and amounts recognized for financial statement purposes	(2,804,000)	(1,545,000)	(1,822,000)
Other comprehensive income	495,000	502,000	97,000
Total income tax (benefit) expense	57,132,000	48,719,000	41,956,000
Deferred tax assets:
Inventories, principally due to additional costs inventoried for tax purposes	6,431,000	5,638,000
Compensation and benefits related	18,471,000	16,701,000
Accounts receivable, principally due to allowances for uncollectible accounts	2,817,000	2,286,000
Accrued expenses	8,294,000	7,037,000
Other comprehensive income		495,000
Net operating loss carryforwards	2,778,000	7,381,000
Other deferred tax assets	221,000	71,000
Total gross deferred tax assets	39,012,000	39,609,000
Less valuation allowance	990,000	5,071,000
Net deferred tax assets	38,022,000	34,538,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Plant and equipment, principally due to differences in depreciation	23,828,000	30,333,000
Intangible assets	24,825,000	20,530,000
Other	276,000	203,000
Total deferred tax liabilities	48,929,000	51,066,000
Net deferred tax liabilities	(10,907,000)	(16,528,000)
Current deferred income tax assets	25,353,000	22,023,000
Non-current deferred income tax liabilities	(36,260,000)	(38,551,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(10,907,000)	(16,528,000)
Net increase (decrease) in total valuation allowance	$ (4,081,000)	$ 19,000	$ (86,000)