Income taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 03, 2012	Jan. 28, 2011	Jan. 29, 2010
Current:
Federal	$ 385,277,000	$ 273,005,000	$ 173,027,000
Foreign	1,449,000	1,269,000	1,465,000
State	56,272,000	28,062,000	21,002,000
Total current income taxes	442,998,000	302,336,000	195,494,000
Deferred:
Federal	8,313,000	42,024,000	12,412,000
Foreign			(49,000)
State	7,293,000	12,755,000	4,817,000
Total deferred income taxes	15,606,000	54,779,000	17,180,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	458,604,000	357,115,000	212,674,000
Reconciliation between actual income taxes and amounts computed by applying federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes	428,851,000	344,740,000	193,241,000
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	42,774,000	26,877,000	18,375,000
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes	(15,153,000)	(8,845,000)	(8,590,000)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances	(2,202,000)	(1,003,000)	(1,722,000)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit), net of federal income taxes	(121,000)	(5,004,000)	1,289,000
Nondeductible lawsuit settlement			(366,000)
Other, net	4,455,000	350,000	10,447,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	458,604,000	357,115,000	212,674,000
Reconciliation between actual income taxes rate and federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes (as a percent)	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit (as a percent)	3.50%	2.70%	3.30%
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes (as a percent)	(1.20%)	(0.90%)	(1.60%)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances (as a percent)	(0.20%)	(0.10%)	(0.30%)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit), net of federal income taxes (as a percent)		(0.50%)	0.20%
Nondeductible lawsuit settlement (as a percent)			(0.10%)
Other, net (as a percent)	0.30%	0.10%	2.00%
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes (as a percent)	37.40%	36.30%	38.50%
Decrease in state income tax expense rate (as a percent)		1.80%
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred compensation expense	7,851,000	6,653,000
Accrued expenses and other	6,735,000	4,798,000
Accrued rent	11,125,000	8,581,000
Accrued insurance	70,180,000	67,634,000
Accrued bonuses	16,686,000	20,116,000
Interest rate hedges	4,479,000	13,650,000
Tax benefit of income tax and interest reserves related to uncertain tax positions	2,690,000	2,520,000
Other	16,010,000	16,321,000
State tax net operating loss carryforwards, net of federal tax	33,000	4,697,000
State tax credit carryforwards, net of federal tax	10,628,000	12,511,000
Total deferred tax assets, gross	146,417,000	157,481,000
Less valuation allowances	(4,881,000)	(7,083,000)
Total deferred tax assets, net	141,536,000	150,398,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	(287,447,000)	(222,757,000)
Inventories	(49,345,000)	(68,314,000)
Trademarks	(435,611,000)	(435,543,000)
Amortizable assets	(13,234,000)	(21,288,000)
Insurance related tax method change		(14,844,000)
Bonus related tax method change	(13,078,000)	(19,520,000)
Other	(3,539,000)	(3,551,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(802,254,000)	(785,817,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(660,718,000)	(635,419,000)
Summarizes net deferred tax liabilities recorded in the consolidated balance sheets
Current deferred income tax liabilities, net	(3,722,000)	(36,854,000)
Noncurrent deferred income tax liabilities, net	(656,996,000)	(598,565,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(660,718,000)	(635,419,000)
State net operating loss carryforwards which will expire in 2023 through 2031	54,300,000
State tax credit carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2020 through 2025	16,400,000
Decrease in valuation allowance for state tax credit carryforwards and federal capital losses	2,200,000	1,000,000	1,700,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits	42,018,000	26,429,000	67,636,000
Interest accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	1,200,000	1,900,000
Penalties accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	600,000	500,000
Aggregate reserve for uncertain tax positions including interest and penalties	43,800,000	28,800,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in current liabilities as accrued expenses and other	300,000	200,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in noncurrent other liabilities	41,130,000	27,255,000
Reduction of deferred tax assets related to net operating loss carry forwards	2,400,000	1,300,000
Reasonably possible reduction in reserve for uncertain tax position in next twelve months	30,400,000
Reasonably possible reduction in reserve for uncertain tax position in next twelve months included in accrued expenses and other	200,000
Reasonably possible reduction in reserve for uncertain tax position in next twelve months included in noncurrent other liabilities	30,200,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions that would impact effective tax rate if recognized	42,000,000
Income tax amounts associated with uncertain tax positions
Income tax expense (benefit)	97,000	(12,000,000)	11,900,000
Income tax related interest expense (benefit)	968,000	(5,800,000)	2,300,000
Income tax related penalty expense (benefit)	63,000	(700,000)	400,000
Reconciliation of the uncertain income tax positions
Beginning balance	26,429,000	67,636,000	59,057,000
Increases - tax positions taken in the current year	125,000	125,000	13,701,000
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years	15,840,000		4,039,000
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years		(36,973,000)	(1,111,000)
Statute expirations	(376,000)	(1,570,000)
Settlements		(2,789,000)	(8,050,000)
Ending balance	$ 42,018,000	$ 26,429,000	$ 67,636,000