Income taxes (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014	Feb. 01, 2013
Current:
Federal	$ 543,089,000	$ 530,728,000	$ 457,370,000
Foreign	1,245,000	1,324,000	1,209,000
State	81,816,000	101,174,000	78,025,000
Total current income taxes	626,150,000	633,226,000	536,604,000
Deferred:
Federal	(7,697,000)	(16,132,000)	9,734,000
State	(2,937,000)	(13,880,000)	(1,606,000)
Total deferred income taxes	(10,634,000)	(30,012,000)	8,128,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	615,516,000	603,214,000	544,732,000
Reconciliation between actual income taxes and amounts computed by applying federal statutory rate
U.S. federal statutory rate on earnings before income taxes	588,303,000	569,916,000	524,088,000
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit	49,819,000	56,822,000	52,713,000
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes	(18,961,000)	(19,348,000)	(16,062,000)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances	1,453,000	(437,000)	(3,050,000)
Decrease in income tax reserves	(6,449,000)	(6,391,000)	(13,676,000)
Other, net	1,351,000	2,652,000	719,000
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes	615,516,000	603,214,000	544,732,000
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)	3.00%	3.50%	3.50%
Jobs credits, net of federal income taxes (as a percent)	(1.10%)	(1.20%)	(1.10%)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowances (as a percent)	0.10%		(0.20%)
Decrease in income tax reserves (as a percent)	(0.40%)	(0.40%)	(0.90%)
Other, net (as a percent)		0.10%	0.10%
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes (as a percent)	36.60%	37.00%	36.40%
Deferred tax assets:
Deferred compensation expense	8,842,000	8,666,000
Accrued expenses and other	5,146,000	9,067,000
Accrued rent	19,360,000	17,375,000
Accrued insurance	76,197,000	78,557,000
Accrued incentive compensation	14,866,000	3,385,000
Share based compensation	17,623,000	12,049,000
Interest rate hedges	4,318,000	4,921,000
Tax benefit of income tax and interest reserves related to uncertain tax positions	1,502,000	3,439,000
Deferred gain on sale- leaseback	24,385,000	26,186,000
Other	3,463,000	3,045,000
State tax net operating loss carryforwards, net of federal tax	87,000	282,000
State tax credit carry forwards, net of federal tax	11,039,000	8,282,000
Total deferred tax assets, gross	186,828,000	175,254,000
Less valuation allowances	(2,845,000)	(1,393,000)
Total deferred tax assets, net	183,983,000	173,861,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment	(302,531,000)	(307,644,000)
Inventories	(73,188,000)	(64,481,000)
Trademarks	(433,328,000)	(433,130,000)
Other	(1,794,000)	(4,427,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(810,841,000)	(809,682,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(626,858,000)	(635,821,000)
Summarized net deferred tax liabilities as recorded in the consolidated balance sheets
Current deferred income tax liabilities, net	(25,268,000)	(21,795,000)
Noncurrent deferred income tax liabilities, net	(601,590,000)	(614,026,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(626,858,000)	(635,821,000)
State net operating loss carryforwards which will expire in 2028	1,300,000
State tax credit carryforwards that will expire beginning in 2022 through 2025	17,000,000
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance for state tax credit carryforwards	1,500,000	(400,000)	(3,100,000)
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits	9,343,000	19,583,000	22,237,000
Interest accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	1,000,000	2,400,000
Potential penalties accrued related to uncertain tax benefits	400,000	400,000
Aggregate reserve for uncertain tax positions including interest and penalties	10,700,000	22,400,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in current liabilities as Accrued expenses and other		3,600,000
Reserves for uncertain tax benefits included in noncurrent Other liabilities	10,690,000	18,802,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions for which a reduction is reasonably possible in the next twelve months	3,000,000
Reserve for uncertain tax positions that would impact effective tax rate if recognized	9,300,000
Income tax amounts associated with uncertain tax positions
Income tax expense (benefit)	(9,497,000)	(3,915,000)	(16,119,000)
Income tax related interest expense (benefit)	(1,445,000)	590,000	344,000
Income tax related penalty expense (benefit)	51,000	30,000	(200,000)
Reconciliation of the uncertain income tax positions
Beginning Balance	19,583,000	22,237,000	42,018,000
Increases - tax positions taken in the current year	198,000	3,484,000	2,114,000
Increases - tax positions taken in prior years	62,000	3,000,000	1,144,000
Decreases - tax positions taken in prior years	(8,636,000)	(608,000)	(22,669,000)
Statute expirations	(1,121,000)	(7,622,000)	(166,000)
Settlements	(743,000)	(908,000)	(204,000)
Ending Balance	$ 9,343,000	$ 19,583,000	$ 22,237,000