RETIREMENT AND BENEFIT PLANS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2012 individual plans Y	Jan. 30, 2011	Jan. 31, 2010
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Number of noncontributory defined benefit pension plans	5
Number of defined benefit plans	6
Number of current executives covered by capital accumulation program	3
Number of retired executives covered by capital accumulation program	17
Plan benefit payment activation age	65
Minimum age prior to employment termination	55
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Target allocation percentage of assets, debt securities	40.00%
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next fiscal year	6.46%
Assumed annual reduction in health care cost trend rate for next ten years	0.15%
Health care cost trend rate assumed for after ten years and thereafter	5.00%
Company contributions to supplemental savings plan and defined contribution plan	$ 12,664	$ 9,898	$ 6,195
Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost, including plan expenses	14,528	9,516	7,637
Interest cost	19,183	17,843	16,937
Amortization of net loss (gain)	9,240	7,580	2,325
Expected return on plan assets	(22,123)	(19,970)	(20,028)
Amortization of prior service credit	(62)	(62)	(30)
Curtailment loss	0	0	13
Total	20,766	14,907	6,854
Estimated future employer contributions to its pension plans in 2012	25,000
SERP Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost, including plan expenses	98	90	70
Interest cost	1,810	1,623	958
Amortization of net loss (gain)	(18)	(8)	(39)
Expected return on plan assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	0	0	0
Curtailment loss	0	0	0
Total	1,890	1,705	989
Postretirement Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost, including plan expenses	0	0	0
Interest cost	1,018	1,090	1,459
Amortization of net loss (gain)	27	0	258
Expected return on plan assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(817)	(817)	(817)
Curtailment loss	0	0	0
Total	$ 228	$ 273	$ 900
U.S. Equities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Target allocation percentage of assets, equity securities	45.00%
International Equities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Target allocation percentage of assets, equity securities	15.00%