Cash used to settle withholding taxes on the vesting of nonvested restricted stock Cash Used to Settle Withholding Taxes on Stock Option Exercises Represents the cash payments made by the entity to settle the withholding taxes due by employees as a result of the exercise of stock options or the vesting of unvested common stock. Use of Estimates Use of Estimates Use of Estimates [Text Block] Represents the details for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in one text block. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Document and Entity Information Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Statement [Table] Statement, Scenario [Axis] Scenario, Unspecified [Domain] Statement [Line Items] Statement Assets [Abstract] Assets Assets, Current [Abstract] Current assets: Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value Cash and cash equivalents Beginning of period End of period Short-term Investments Short-term investment securities Inventory, Net Inventory Income Taxes Receivable Income tax receivable Deferred Tax Assets, Gross, Current Deferred tax asset Assets, Current Total current assets Prepaid Expense and Other Assets, Current Prepaid and other current assets Income Taxes Receivable, Current Income tax receivable Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current Deferred tax asset Assets Held-for-sale, Current Assets held for sale Deferred Tax Assets, Gross, Noncurrent Deferred tax asset Other Assets, Noncurrent Other assets Assets Total assets Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent Deferred tax asset Goodwill. Goodwill Net (loss) income Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic Net (loss) income Long-term Investments Long-term investment securities Property, Plant and Equipment, Net Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $112,314 and $94,630 as of October 29, 2011 and January 29, 2011, respectively Liabilities and Equity [Abstract] Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilities, Current [Abstract] Current liabilities: Accounts Payable, Current Accounts payable Accrued Liabilities, Current Accrued expenses Accrued Employee Benefits, Current Accrued compensation Accrued Income Taxes, Current Income tax payable Customer Advances, Current Layaway deposits Liabilities, Current Total current liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Other long-term liabilities Liabilities Total liabilities Common Stock, Value, Issued Common stock, $0.01 par value. Authorized 32,000,000 shares; 15,074,355 shares issued as of October 29, 2011 and 14,989,535 shares issued as of January 29, 2011; 14,908,605 shares outstanding as of October 29, 2011 and 14,823,785 outstanding as of January 29, 2011 Additional Paid in Capital, Common Stock Paid-in-capital Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) Retained earnings Treasury Stock, Value Treasury stock, at cost; 165,750 shares as of October 29, 2011 and January 29, 2011 Liabilities and Equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Commitments and Contingencies. Commitments and contingencies (note 12) Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment Property and equipment, accumulated depreciation and amortization (in dollars) Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) Common Stock, Shares Authorized Common stock, Authorized shares Common Stock, Shares, Issued Common stock, shares issued Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding Common stock, shares outstanding Treasury Stock, Shares Treasury stock, shares Sales Revenue, Goods, Net Net sales Cost of Goods Sold Cost of sales Gross Profit Gross profit Selling, General and Administrative Expense Selling, general and administrative expenses Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization Depreciation and amortization Operating Income (Loss) (Loss) income from operations Investment Income, Interest Interest income Interest Expense Interest expense Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Securities Unrealized loss on investment securities Unrealized gain (loss) on investment securities Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest (Loss) income before income tax (benefit) expense Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Income tax (benefit) expense Earnings Per Share, Basic Basic net (loss) income per common share (in dollars per share) Earnings Per Share, Diluted Diluted net (loss) income per common share (in dollars per share) Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic [Abstract] Net income (loss) attributable to common shares Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Diluted Diluted (in dollars per share) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic [Abstract] Weighted average number of shares outstanding Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract] Weighted average number of shares outstanding Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Basic (in shares) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Diluted (in shares) Asset Impairment Charges Asset impairment Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Adjustments to Reconcile Net Income (Loss) to Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract] Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities: Gain (Loss) on Sale of Property Plant Equipment Loss on disposal of property and equipment Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Deferred income taxes Share-based Compensation Noncash stock-based compensation expense Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Operating Activities Excess tax benefits from stock-based payment arrangements Increase (Decrease) in Operating Capital [Abstract] Changes in assets and liabilities: Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Inventory Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expense and Other Assets Prepaid and other current assets Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets Other assets Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Accounts payable Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities Accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities Increase (Decrease) in Employee Related Liabilities Accrued compensation Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Receivable Income tax receivable/payable Increase (Decrease) in Customer Advances Layaway deposits Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Payable, Net of Income Taxes Receivable Income tax receivable/payable Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Marketable Securities Sales/redemptions of investment securities Payments to Acquire Marketable Securities Purchases of investment securities Payments to Acquire Productive Assets Purchases of property and equipment Repayments of Long-term Capital Lease Obligations Repayments on capital lease obligations Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities Excess tax benefits from stock-based payment arrangements Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised Proceeds from the exercise of stock options Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value [Abstract] Cash and cash equivalents: Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract] Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: Interest Paid Cash paid for interest Income Taxes Paid Cash paid for income taxes Cash Flow, Noncash Investing and Financing Activities Disclosure [Abstract] Supplemental disclosures of noncash investing activities: Capital Expenditures Incurred but Not yet Paid Decrease in accrual for purchases of property and equipment Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Basis of Presentation Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block] Basis of Presentation Cash and Cash Equivalents/Concentration of Credit Risk Cash and Cash Equivalents Disclosure [Text Block] Cash and Cash Equivalents/Concentration of Credit Risk Earnings per Share Earnings Per Share [Text Block] Earnings per Share Closure of Distribution Center Closure of Distribution Center Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block] Fair Value Measurement Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block] Fair Value Measurement Goodwill Goodwill Disclosure [Text Block] Goodwill Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Asset Impairment Charges [Text Block] Revolving Line of Credit Debt Disclosure [Text Block] Revolving Line of Credit Income Taxes Income Taxes Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] Other Long-Term Liabilities Other Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block] Other Long-Term Liabilities Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Commitments and Contingencies Recent Accounting Pronouncements Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Text Block] Recent Accounting Pronouncements Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Document Type Document Period End Date Amendment Flag Amendment Description Current Fiscal Year End Date Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer Entity Voluntary Filers Entity Current Reporting Status Entity Filer Category Entity Public Float Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus Stockholders' equity: Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent [Abstract] Total stockholders' equity Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Gain on insurance claims Gain (Loss) Related to Litigation Settlement Operating activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract] Net cash provided by operating activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Investing activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract] Net cash used in investing activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Financing activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract] Net cash provided by financing activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Receivable for insurance proceeds on property and equipment Insurance Settlements Receivable