Subsequent Event Subsequent Event (Details)		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 27, 2017 USD ($) Store	Jan. 28, 2017 USD ($) Store	Jan. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 Store	Aug. 03, 2015 USD ($)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		$ 917,000	$ 0
Number of Stores | Store		770		751
Number Of Students		5,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity					$ 400,000,000
Proceeds from Lines of Credit		$ 116,100,000	$ 60,600,000
Subsequent Event [Member]
Number of Stores | Store	1,490
Number Of Students	6,000,000
Related Party Transaction, Description of Transaction	Prior to the acquisition, MBS was privately held and majority-owned by affiliates of Leonard Riggio, who also owns approximately 16% of our outstanding shares.
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease), Net	$ 100,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	500,000
Proceeds from Lines of Credit	$ 55,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	3.00%
Debt Instrument, Payment Terms	The FILO Facility will be available solely during the draw period each year, from April 1 through July 31. We are required to borrow 100% of the aggregate commitments under the FILO Facility on April 1 of each year, and the loans must be repaid in full (including interest and fees) on July 31 of each year. The commitments under the FILO Facility will decrease from $100,000 to $75,000 on August 1, 2018, from $75,000 to $50,000 on August 1, 2019 and from $50,000 to $25,000 on August 1, 2020.
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.375%
MBS Textbook [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	$ 174,200,000
MBS Textbook [Member] | Virtual Store [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Number of Stores | Store	700
MBS Textbook [Member] | Physical Store [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Number of Stores | Store	3,700
MBS Textbook [Member] | Inventory Management Store [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Number of Stores | Store	485