Property and Equipment - Net (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011	Jan. 30, 2010
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	$ 1,611,986,000	$ 1,512,156,000
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,039,219,000	987,250,000
Property and equipment - net	572,767,000	524,906,000
Capital Leased Assets, Gross	5,800,000	7,300,000
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Capital Leases	2,700,000	5,200,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	131,293,000	107,563,000	78,708,000
Depreciation	90,280,000	78,606,000	74,904,000
Asset Impairment Charges	2,242,000	18,000	358,000
Land and land improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	45,130,000	45,104,000
Buildings and leasehold improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	768,074,000	734,578,000
Fixtures and equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	637,658,000	605,492,000
Computer software costs [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	87,290,000	84,738,000
Transportation equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	35,604,000	21,652,000
Construction-in-progress [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property and equipment - cost	$ 38,230,000	$ 20,592,000