CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2011	Aug. 31, 2010	Aug. 31, 2009
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS [Abstract]
Net income	$ 61,750	$ 49,447	$ 42,584
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	21,154	15,260	13,898
Allowance for doubtful accounts	(10)	5	(1)
Asset impairment and closure costs	0	18	74
Gain on Guatemala Plaza lease buyout	0	0	(651)
Cash paid for Guatemala Plaza lease buyout	0	0	(3,100)
Loss on sale of property and equipment	486	504	509
Gain on sale of excess real estate in Panama	(1,249)	0	0
Release of cash from escrow account due to settlement of litigation	0	0	256
Deferred income taxes	642	3,562	(1,805)
Discontinued operations	86	(16)	28
Excess tax (benefit) deficiency on stock-based compensation	(752)	57	16
Equity in losses of unconsolidated affiliates	52	22	21
Stock-based compensation	4,037	3,778	3,298
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Change in receivables, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accrued salaries and benefits, deferred membership income and other accruals	(3,657)	2,718	(3,422)
Merchandise inventories	(46,043)	(15,349)	(1,947)
Accounts payable	39,030	22,989	5,293
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	75,526	82,995	55,051
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	73	34	307
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	75,599	83,029	55,358
Investing Activities:
Additions to property and equipment	(47,033)	(50,207)	(49,347)
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment	182	282	181
Proceeds on sale of excess real estate in Panama	7,406	0	0
Collection of note receivable from sale of closed warehouse club in the Dominican Republic	0	0	2,104
Purchase of 5% Trinidad noncontrolling interest	0	(3,800)	0
Purchase of interest in Costa Rica joint venture	0	0	(2,637)
Capital contribution to Costa Rica joint venture	0	0	(377)
Purchase of interest in Panama joint venture	0	0	(4,616)
Capital contribution to Panama joint venture	0	(433)	(50)
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(39,445)	(54,158)	(54,742)
Net cash provided by (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	(9)
Net cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities	(39,445)	(54,158)	(54,751)
Financing Activities:
Proceeds from bank borrowings	45,261	44,904	40,119
Repayment of bank borrowings	(39,232)	(24,922)	(23,926)
Cash dividend payments	(17,934)	(14,895)	(19,551)
Release of (addition to) restricted cash	(16,920)	(6,000)	0
Stockholder contribution	0	396	0
Excess tax (deficiency) benefit on stock-based compensation	752	(57)	(16)
Purchase of treasury stock - excluding PSC settlement	(2,711)	(1,434)	(1,128)
Purchase of treasury stock- PSC settlement	0	0	(161)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	144	873	559
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(30,640)	(1,135)	(4,104)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(2,043)	1,417	(431)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	3,471	29,153	(3,928)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	73,346	44,193	48,121
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	76,817	73,346	44,193
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest, net of amounts capitalized	3,686	2,613	1,579
Income taxes	$ 22,389	$ 19,309	$ 13,009