Income taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 01, 2013	Feb. 03, 2012	Jan. 28, 2011
Current:
Federal	$ 457,370,000	$ 385,277,000	$ 273,005,000
Foreign	1,209,000	1,449,000	1,269,000
State	78,025,000	56,272,000	28,062,000
Total current income taxes	536,604,000	442,998,000	302,336,000
Deferred:
Federal	9,734,000	8,313,000	42,024,000
State	(1,606,000)	7,293,000	12,755,000
Total deferred income taxes	8,128,000	15,606,000	54,779,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	544,732,000	458,604,000	357,115,000
Reconciliation between actual income taxes and amounts computed by applying federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes	524,088,000	428,851,000	344,740,000
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	52,713,000	42,774,000	26,877,000
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes	(16,062,000)	(15,153,000)	(8,845,000)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances	(3,050,000)	(2,202,000)	(1,003,000)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit), net of federal income taxes	(476,000)	(121,000)	(5,004,000)
Reduction in income tax reserves due to favorable examination resolutions	(13,676,000)
Other, net	1,195,000	4,455,000	350,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	544,732,000	458,604,000	357,115,000
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%	3.50%	2.70%
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes (as a percent)	(1.10%)	(1.20%)	(0.90%)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances (as a percent)	(0.20%)	(0.20%)	(0.10%)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit), net of federal income taxes (as a percent)			(0.50%)
Reduction in income tax reserves due to favorable examination resolutions (as a percent)	(0.90%)
Other, net (as a percent)	0.10%	0.30%	0.10%
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes (as a percent)	36.40%	37.40%	36.30%
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred compensation expense	9,276,000	7,851,000
Accrued expenses and other	5,727,000	6,735,000
Accrued rent	15,450,000	11,125,000
Accrued insurance	72,442,000	70,180,000
Accrued bonuses	15,399,000	16,686,000
Interest rate hedges	1,883,000	4,479,000
Tax benefit of income tax and interest reserves related to uncertain tax positions	2,696,000	2,690,000
Other	13,914,000	16,010,000
State tax net operating loss carryforwards, net of federal tax	645,000	33,000
State tax credit carryforwards, net of federal tax	8,925,000	10,628,000
Total deferred tax assets, gross	146,357,000	146,417,000
Less valuation allowances	(1,830,000)	(4,881,000)
Total deferred tax assets, net	144,527,000	141,536,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	(294,204,000)	(287,447,000)
Inventories	(67,246,000)	(49,345,000)
Trademarks	(435,529,000)	(435,611,000)
Amortizable assets	(6,809,000)	(13,234,000)
Bonus related tax method change	(6,534,000)	(13,078,000)
Other	(4,498,000)	(3,539,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(814,820,000)	(802,254,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(670,293,000)	(660,718,000)
Summarized net deferred tax liabilities recorded in the consolidated balance sheets
Current deferred income tax liabilities, net	(23,223,000)	(3,722,000)
Noncurrent deferred income tax liabilities, net	(647,070,000)	(656,996,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(670,293,000)	(660,718,000)
State net operating loss carryforwards which will expire in 2028	7,300,000
State tax credit carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2021 through 2023	14,000,000
Decrease in valuation allowance for state tax credit carryforwards and federal capital losses	3,100,000	2,200,000	1,000,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits	22,237,000	42,018,000	26,429,000
Interest accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	2,300,000	1,200,000
Penalties accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	400,000	600,000
Aggregate reserve for uncertain tax positions including interest and penalties	24,900,000	43,800,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in current liabilities as accrued expenses and other	1,500,000	300,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in noncurrent other liabilities	23,383,000	41,130,000
Reduction of deferred tax assets related to net operating loss carry forwards		2,400,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions for which a reduction is reasonably possible in the next twelve months	15,400,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions that would impact effective tax rate if recognized	22,200,000
Income tax amounts associated with uncertain tax positions
Income tax expense (benefit)	(16,119,000)	97,000	(12,000,000)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit)	344,000	968,000	(5,800,000)
Income tax related penalty expense (benefit)	(200,000)	63,000	(700,000)
Reconciliation of the uncertain income tax positions
Beginning balance	42,018,000	26,429,000	67,636,000
Increases - tax positions taken in the current year	2,114,000	125,000	125,000
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years	1,144,000	15,840,000
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years	(22,669,000)		(36,973,000)
Statute expirations	(166,000)	(376,000)	(1,570,000)
Settlements	(204,000)		(2,789,000)
Ending balance	$ 22,237,000	$ 42,018,000	$ 26,429,000