Income taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2014	Feb. 01, 2013	Feb. 03, 2012
Current:
Federal	$ 530,728,000	$ 457,370,000	$ 385,277,000
Foreign	1,324,000	1,209,000	1,449,000
State	101,174,000	78,025,000	56,272,000
Total current income taxes	633,226,000	536,604,000	442,998,000
Deferred:
Federal	(16,132,000)	9,734,000	8,313,000
State	(13,880,000)	(1,606,000)	7,293,000
Total deferred income taxes	(30,012,000)	8,128,000	15,606,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	603,214,000	544,732,000	458,604,000
Reconciliation between actual income taxes and amounts computed by applying federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes	569,916,000	524,088,000	428,851,000
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	56,822,000	52,713,000	42,774,000
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes	(19,348,000)	(16,062,000)	(15,153,000)
Reduction in valuation allowances	(437,000)	(3,050,000)	(2,202,000)
Reduction in income tax reserves	(6,391,000)	(13,676,000)
Other, net	2,652,000	719,000	4,334,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	603,214,000	544,732,000	458,604,000
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%	3.50%
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes (as a percent)	(1.20%)	(1.10%)	(1.20%)
Reduction in valuation allowance (as a percent)		(0.20%)	(0.20%)
Reduction in income tax reserves (as a percent)	(0.40%)	(0.90%)
Other, net (as a percent)	0.10%	0.10%	0.30%
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes (as a percent)	37.00%	36.40%	37.40%
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred compensation expense	8,666,000	9,276,000
Accrued expenses and other	9,067,000	5,727,000
Accrued rent	17,375,000	15,450,000
Accrued insurance	78,557,000	72,442,000
Accrued incentive compensation	3,385,000	15,399,000
Interest rate hedges	4,921,000	1,883,000
Tax benefit of income tax and interest reserves related to uncertain tax positions	3,439,000	2,696,000
Deferred gain on sale-leaseback	26,186,000
Other	15,094,000	13,914,000
State tax net operating loss carryforwards, net of federal tax	282,000	645,000
State tax credit carryforwards, net of federal tax	8,282,000	8,925,000
Total deferred tax assets, gross	175,254,000	146,357,000
Less valuation allowances	(1,393,000)	(1,830,000)
Total deferred tax assets, net	173,861,000	144,527,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	(307,644,000)	(294,204,000)
Inventories	(64,481,000)	(67,246,000)
Trademarks	(433,130,000)	(435,529,000)
Amortizable assets	(2,343,000)	(6,809,000)
Bonus related tax method change		(6,534,000)
Other	(2,084,000)	(4,498,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(809,682,000)	(814,820,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(635,821,000)	(670,293,000)
Summarized net deferred tax liabilities recorded in the consolidated balance sheets
Current deferred income tax liabilities, net	(21,795,000)	(23,223,000)
Noncurrent deferred income tax liabilities, net	(614,026,000)	(647,070,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(635,821,000)	(670,293,000)
State net operating loss carryforwards which will expire in 2028	4,300,000
State tax credit carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2021 through 2024	12,700,000
Decrease in valuation allowance for state tax credit carryforwards and federal capital losses	400,000	3,100,000	2,200,000
Amended Tax Return Liability Refund Adjustment	5,100,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits	19,583,000	22,237,000	42,018,000
Interest accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	2,400,000	2,300,000
Penalties accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	400,000	400,000
Aggregate reserve for uncertain tax positions including interest and penalties	22,400,000	24,900,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in current liabilities as Accrued expenses and other	3,600,000	1,500,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in noncurrent Other liabilities	18,802,000	23,383,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions for which a reduction is reasonably possible in the next twelve months	11,200,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions that would impact effective tax rate if recognized	19,600,000
Income tax amounts associated with uncertain tax positions
Income tax expense (benefit)	(3,915,000)	(16,119,000)	97,000
Income tax related interest expense (benefit)	590,000	344,000	968,000
Income tax related penalty expense (benefit)	30,000	(200,000)	63,000
Reconciliation of the uncertain income tax positions
Beginning balance	22,237,000	42,018,000	26,429,000
Increases - tax positions taken in the current year	3,484,000	2,114,000	125,000
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years	3,000,000	1,144,000	15,840,000
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years	(608,000)	(22,669,000)
Statute expirations	(7,622,000)	(166,000)	(376,000)
Settlements	(908,000)	(204,000)
Ending balance	$ 19,583,000	$ 22,237,000	$ 42,018,000