SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		May 31, 2016 USD ($) warehouse country	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($) warehouse country	May 31, 2015 USD ($)		Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | warehouse		38		38
Number of countries | country		13		13
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		$ 704,262	$ 697,103	$ 2,194,124	$ 2,103,421
Depreciation and amortization		10,271	8,740	29,003	25,173
Operating income		27,489	33,518	103,920	111,511
Net income		16,837	21,195	66,451	66,677
Capital expenditures, net		20,198	29,682	53,949	73,552
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		518,271	498,179	518,271	498,179		$ 484,003
Goodwill		35,652	35,964	35,652	35,964		35,871
Total assets		1,049,823	1,015,443	1,049,823	1,015,443		991,224
United States Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		7,108	9,483	21,924	24,149
Depreciation and amortization		1,391	527	3,352	1,614
Operating income		3,479	4,257	14,141	19,971
Net income		714	1,013	4,032	7,994
Capital expenditures, net		831	701	4,158	(740)	[1]
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		16,242	14,166	16,242	14,166		15,391
Total assets		85,933	86,189	85,933	86,189		89,133
Central American Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		431,001	403,070	1,329,485	1,212,461
Depreciation and amortization		4,823	3,790	13,634	11,132
Operating income		30,898	31,932	103,587	100,186
Net income		24,999	25,403	82,634	78,577
Capital expenditures, net		6,760	16,613	22,438	39,844
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		269,383	250,384	269,383	250,384		255,576
Goodwill		31,082	31,283	31,082	31,283		31,211
Total assets		511,530	501,021	511,530	501,021		491,155
Caribbean Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		200,041	201,101	641,739	619,717
Depreciation and amortization		2,436	2,408	7,285	7,147
Operating income		11,484	11,928	39,732	37,505
Net income		9,886	9,975	34,789	31,808
Capital expenditures, net		2,631	2,503	8,381	7,365
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		109,145	107,429	109,145	107,429		107,746
Goodwill		4,570	4,681	4,570	4,681		4,660
Total assets		$ 286,477	222,273	$ 286,477	222,273		239,272
Columbia [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | warehouse		6		6
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		$ 66,112	83,449	$ 200,976	247,094
Depreciation and amortization		1,621	2,015	4,732	5,280
Operating income		(1,642)	18	(3,674)	(1,763)
Net income		(2,032)	(579)	(5,138)	(7,314)
Capital expenditures, net		9,976	9,865	18,972	27,083
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		123,501	126,200	123,501	126,200		105,290
Total assets		165,883	205,960	165,883	205,960		$ 171,664
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	[2]	(251,304)	(250,151)	(813,730)	(850,980)
Intersegment [Member] | United States Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		(249,639)	(248,635)	(809,301)	(846,574)
Intersegment [Member] | Caribbean Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		(1,665)	(1,516)	(4,429)	(4,406)
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Operating income	[2]	(16,730)	(14,617)	(49,866)	(44,388)
Net income	[2]	$ (16,730)	$ (14,617)	$ (49,866)	$ (44,388)

[1] The decrease in capital expenditures is a result of the transfers of capital assets from this segment to other segments.

[2] The reconciling items reflect the amount eliminated on consolidation of intersegment transactions.