Fair Value Measurements (Details) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 01, 2013		Aug. 03, 2012
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents	$ 121,735	[1]	$ 104,531	[1]
Deferred compensation plan assets	30,063	[2]	29,443	[2]
Total assets at fair value	151,798		133,974
Interest rate swap liability (see Note 5)	21,870		34,381
Total liabilities at fair value	21,870		34,381
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	121,735	[1]	104,531	[1]
Deferred compensation plan assets	30,063	[2]	29,443	[2]
Total assets at fair value	151,798		133,974
Interest rate swap liability (see Note 5)	0		0
Total liabilities at fair value	0		0
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 5)	21,870		34,381
Total liabilities at fair value	21,870		34,381
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 5)	0		0
Total liabilities at fair value	$ 0		$ 0

[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 Sheets as other assets.