RETIREMENT AND BENEFIT PLANS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 03, 2013 plans	Jan. 29, 2012	Jan. 30, 2011
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Number of noncontributory defined benefit pension plans	5
Non-contributory defined benefit pension plans, vesting period	5
Number of current executives covered by capital accumulation program	2
Number of retired executives covered by capital accumulation program	16
Plan benefit payment activation age	65
Minimum age prior to employment termination	55
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next fiscal year	6.31%
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	$ 15,114	$ 12,664	$ 9,898
Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost, including plan expenses	15,729	11,550	7,740
Interest cost	17,974	17,391	16,339
Actuarial loss (gain)	23,398	64,683	5,872
Expected return on plan assets	(20,950)	(20,514)	(16,568)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	6	6	6
Total	36,157	73,116	13,389
Estimated future employer contributions to its pension plans in 2013	30,000
SERP Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Plan Benefit Payment Period	10 years
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost, including plan expenses	3,579	3,069	1,866
Interest cost	3,366	3,602	3,127
Actuarial loss (gain)	5,850	10,296	2,631
Expected return on plan assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(68)	(68)	(68)
Total	12,727	16,899	7,556
Minimum Number of Years of Employment	10 years
Postretirement Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Service cost, including plan expenses	0	0	0
Interest cost	798	1,018	1,090
Actuarial loss (gain)	(1,106)	1,141	(3,969)
Expected return on plan assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(817)	(817)	(817)
Total	$ (1,125)	$ 1,342	$ (3,696)
United States 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%
Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost [Abstract]
Target allocation percentage of assets, equity securities	40.00%