Fair Value Measurements - Securities Carried at Amortized Cost Plus Accrued Interest (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 28, 2017	Jan. 30, 2016
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	$ 64,717	$ 63,561
Total Fair Market Value	64,668	63,591
Short-term Investments
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	38,026	32,671
Gross Unrealized Gains	3	5
Gross Unrealized Losses	(1)	(1)
Total Fair Market Value	38,028	32,675
Short-term Investments \| Obligations of the U.S. Treasury \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	13,215	20,978
Total Fair Market Value	13,215	20,978
Short-term Investments \| Obligations of states and municipalities \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	14,816	2,930
Gross Unrealized Gains	2	2
Gross Unrealized Losses	(1)
Total Fair Market Value	14,817	2,932
Short-term Investments \| Bank certificates of deposit \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	9,995	8,763
Gross Unrealized Gains	1	3
Gross Unrealized Losses		(1)
Total Fair Market Value	9,996	8,765
Long Term Investments
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	26,691	30,890
Gross Unrealized Gains		33
Gross Unrealized Losses	(51)	(7)
Total Fair Market Value	26,640	30,916
Long Term Investments \| Obligations of the U.S. Treasury \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	15,011	20,002
Gross Unrealized Gains		33
Gross Unrealized Losses	(51)	(7)
Total Fair Market Value	14,960	20,028
Long Term Investments \| Bank certificates of deposit \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Investment securities classified as held to maturity
Amortized Cost	11,680	10,888
Total Fair Market Value	$ 11,680	$ 10,888

Amount after other than temporary impairment (OTTI) accretion, of investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65884222&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized gain on investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAccumulatedUnrecognizedHoldingGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAccumulatedUnrecognizedHoldingLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfHeldToMaturitySecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis=us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis=us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis=us-gaap_CertificatesOfDepositMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=ctrn_LongTermInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: