LEASES - Rent Expense (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011	Aug. 31, 2010
Operating leases, rent expense
Minimum rental payments	$ 7,251	$ 6,883	$ 6,855
Deferred rent accurals	193	724	438
Total straight line rent expense	7,444	7,607	7,293
Contingent rental payments	2,623	2,070	1,561
Common area maintenance expense	865	792	920
Rent expense	$ 10,932	$ 10,469	$ 9,774

The increases or decreases in lease payments that result from changes occurring after the inception of the lease in the factors (other than the passage of time) on which lease payments are based, except that any escalation of minimum lease payments relating to increases in construction or acquisition cost of the leased property or for increases in some measure of cost or value during the construction or preconstruction period, are excluded from contingent rentals. Contingent rentals also may include amounts for which the triggering events have not yet occurred or the specified targets for which have not yet been achieved (such as sales based percentage rent), but which events are considered probable of occurring or which specified targets are considered probable of being achieved.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 10

-Section 40

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6452616&loc=d3e36728-112689

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 98-9

-Paragraph 17

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Contingent Rentals

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6508509

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 13

-Paragraph 106, 122

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 13

-Paragraph 16

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 35

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6931615&loc=d3e35050-112683

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41499-112717

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6452660&loc=d3e36991-112694

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 40

-Subparagraph (Note 3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697

+ Details

- Definition

This element represents the payments that the lessee is obligated to make or can be required to make in connection with a property under the terms of an agreement classified as an operating lease, excluding contingent rentals and a guarantee by the lessee of the lessor's debt and the lessee's obligation to pay (apart from the rental payments) executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes.

+ References+ Details