Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 29, 2011		Jul. 30, 2010
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	$ 29,548	[1]	$ 35,250	[1]
Deferred compensation plan assets	29,665	[2]	25,935	[2]
Total assets at fair value	59,213		61,185
Interest rate swap liability (see Note 6)	51,604		66,281
Total liabilities at fair value	51,604		66,281
Number of leased store determined to be impaired	1		1
Number of owned store closed during the year			1
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	29,548	[1]	35,250	[1]
Deferred compensation plan assets	29,665	[2]	25,935	[2]
Total assets at fair value	59,213		61,185
Interest rate swap liability (see Note 6)	0		0
Total liabilities at fair value	0		0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	0	[1]	0	[1]
Deferred compensation plan assets	0	[2]	0	[2]
Total assets at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swap liability (see Note 6)	51,604		66,281
Total liabilities at fair value	51,604		66,281
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	0	[1]	0	[1]
Deferred compensation plan assets	0	[2]	0	[2]
Total assets at fair value	0		0
Interest rate swap liability (see Note 6)	0		0
Total liabilities at fair value	0		0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Office space fair value and impairment charges	1,000
Fair value of owned store	270
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Impairment Charge [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairment charge recorded for the owned store			409
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Impairment Charge [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Impairment charge recorded for the leased store	2,175		2,263
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Office space fair value and impairment charges	0
Impairment charge recorded for the leased store			0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Impairment Charge [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Office space fair value and impairment charges	$ 1,044

[1] Consists of money market fund investments.

[2] Represents plan assets invested in mutual funds established under a Rabbi Trust for the Company's non-qualified savings plan and is included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as other assets (see Note 13).