Fair Value Measurements - Assets at Fairvalue - (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012	Jul. 30, 2011
State/Municipal Bonds \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
State/Municipal Bonds \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	176,206	152,650	142,938
State/Municipal Bonds \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Corporate Bonds \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Corporate Bonds \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	18,884	27,732	28,119
Corporate Bonds \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Auction Rate Securities (ARS) \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Auction Rate Securities (ARS) \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Auction Rate Securities (ARS) \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	3,450	3,450	3,450
Variable Rate Demand Notes (VDRN) \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	16,865	26,472	20,817
Variable Rate Demand Notes (VDRN) \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Variable Rate Demand Notes (VDRN) \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
US Treasury Notes \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	3,162	3,174	2,679
US Treasury Notes \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
US Treasury Notes \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Corporate Equities \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	439	443	473
Corporate Equities \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Corporate Equities \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Certificates of Deposit \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	101	100	100
Certificates of Deposit \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Certificates of Deposit \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Privately Managed Funds \| Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Alternative Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Privately Managed Funds \| Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Alternative Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	0	0	0
Privately Managed Funds \| Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Alternative Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 871	$ 1,604	$ 1,909

Fair Value Measurements - Assets at Fairvalue - (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

Jul. 28, 2012

Jan. 28, 2012

Jul. 30, 2011

State/Municipal Bonds | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

$ 0

State/Municipal Bonds | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

176,206

152,650

142,938

State/Municipal Bonds | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Corporate Bonds | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Corporate Bonds | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

18,884

27,732

28,119

Corporate Bonds | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Auction Rate Securities (ARS) | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Auction Rate Securities (ARS) | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Auction Rate Securities (ARS) | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

3,450

Variable Rate Demand Notes (VDRN) | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

16,865

26,472

20,817

Variable Rate Demand Notes (VDRN) | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Variable Rate Demand Notes (VDRN) | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

US Treasury Notes | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

3,162

3,174

2,679

US Treasury Notes | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

US Treasury Notes | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Corporate Equities | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

439

443

473

Corporate Equities | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Corporate Equities | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Certificates of Deposit | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

101

100

Certificates of Deposit | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Certificates of Deposit | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure

Privately Managed Funds | Level 1

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Alternative Investments, Fair Value Disclosure

Privately Managed Funds | Level 2

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Alternative Investments, Fair Value Disclosure

Privately Managed Funds | Level 3

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]

Alternative Investments, Fair Value Disclosure

$ 871

$ 1,604

$ 1,909

- Definition

This element represents the total fair market value of investments in certain entities that calculate net asset value per share (including by unit, membership interest, or other equity (ownership interest) unit measure) (alternative investments). This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements, but may also be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents alternative investments as of the balance sheet date which may include investments in certain hedge funds, venture capital funds, private equity funds, real estate partnerships or funds, and any other investment in which investee management calculates net asset value per share as the primary metric for investment value.

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all securitized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

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