SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Feb. 28, 2018 USD ($) country warehouse	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2018 USD ($) country warehouse	Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | warehouse		40		40
Number of countries | country		13		13
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		$ 839,563	$ 793,296	$ 1,606,635	$ 1,532,868
Depreciation and amortization		12,575	11,445	24,812	22,562
Operating income		37,264	39,402	70,430	77,781
Net income (loss)		14,148	27,219	36,638	52,088
Capital expenditures, net		22,131	68,399	45,634	86,403
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		640,185	601,913	640,185	601,913	$ 616,090
Goodwill		35,473	35,692	35,473	35,692	35,642
Total assets		1,191,724	1,156,952	1,191,724	1,156,952	1,177,514
United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		9,138	8,171	17,285	18,926
Depreciation and amortization		1,691	1,475	3,435	3,049
Operating income		1,146	2,324	4,237	9,921
Net income (loss)		(13,825)	4,135	(14,390)	7,793
Capital expenditures, net		584	49,792	1,588	52,129
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		68,597	68,872	68,597	68,872	70,353
Total assets		129,623	126,494	129,623	126,494	147,650
Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		493,905	473,994	946,071	912,228
Depreciation and amortization		5,886	5,140	11,409	10,004
Operating income		36,673	37,462	69,206	70,966
Net income (loss)		30,124	29,636	57,512	55,863
Capital expenditures, net		11,191	15,461	22,561	26,217
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		308,085	288,855	308,085	288,855	296,915
Goodwill		30,926	31,153	30,926	31,153	31,118
Total assets		552,343	538,628	552,343	538,628	544,683
Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		234,169	219,515	448,811	426,537
Depreciation and amortization		2,732	2,531	5,409	4,989
Operating income		13,601	13,611	25,225	25,825
Net income (loss)		12,456	8,221	22,926	19,082
Capital expenditures, net		9,332	2,101	19,629	6,539
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		136,589	109,353	136,589	109,353	122,616
Goodwill		4,547	4,539	4,547	4,539	4,524
Total assets		320,848	300,983	320,848	300,983	303,234
Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		102,351	91,616	194,468	175,177
Depreciation and amortization		2,266	2,299	4,559	4,520
Operating income		3,161	915	5,209	1,828
Net income (loss)		2,710	137	4,037	109
Capital expenditures, net		1,024	1,045	1,856	1,518
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		126,914	134,833	126,914	134,833	126,206
Total assets		$ 188,910	190,847	$ 188,910	190,847	$ 181,947
Colombia [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | warehouse		7		7
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	[1]	$ (275,151)	(271,556)	$ (616,684)	(590,926)
Intersegment [Member] | United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		(274,061)	(270,369)	(614,189)	(588,031)
Intersegment [Member] | Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		(971)	(1,175)	(2,178)	(2,873)
Intersegment [Member] | Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues		(119)	(12)	(317)	(22)
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Operating income	[1]	(17,317)	(14,910)	(33,447)	(30,759)
Net income (loss)	[1]	$ (17,317)	$ (14,910)	$ (33,447)	$ (30,759)

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