Statement of Financial Position (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 04, 2012	Feb. 05, 2011
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 8,524	$ 5,363
Accounts receivable:
Trade	4,173	4,707
Other	443	971
Inventories	7,952	7,460
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	3,988	4,971
Refundable income taxes	255	0
Deferred tax assets	0	5,976
Assets held for sale	0	641
Total current assets	25,335	30,089
Property and equipment:
Land	2,185	2,185
Buildings and building improvements	22,698	25,343
Leasehold improvements	4,022	4,383
Photographic, sales and manufacturing equipment	116,895	176,974
Property not in use (see Note 7)	3,401	3,401
Total	149,201	212,286
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	131,400	176,288
Property and equipment, net	17,801	35,998
Prepaid debt fees	1,112	1,838
Goodwill	9,772	22,874
Intangible assets, net	30,436	37,862
Deferred tax assets	1,362	7,166
Other assets	8,712	7,973
TOTAL ASSETS	94,530	143,800
Current liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt	74,000	0
Accounts payable	5,322	4,570
Accrued employment costs	6,622	8,905
Customer deposit liability	12,930	16,403
Sales taxes payable	2,788	3,517
Deferred tax liability	1,393	0
Accrued advertising expenses	1,318	995
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	12,131	14,813
Total current liabilities	116,504	49,203
Long-term debt, less current maturities	0	48,900
Accrued pension plan obligations	23,043	14,862
Other liabilities	13,796	16,565
Total liabilities	153,343	129,530
CONTINGENCIES (see Note 16)
STOCKHOLDERS' (DEFICIT) EQUITY
Preferred stock, no par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, $0.40 par value, 16,000,000 and 50,000,000 shares authorized at February 4, 2012 and February 5, 2011, respectively; 9,134,956 and 9,129,013 shares outstanding at February 4, 2012, and February 5, 2011, respectively	3,654	3,652
Additional paid-in capital	31,892	30,785
Retained (losses) earnings	(23,809)	40,794
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(22,501)	(12,927)
Stockholders' equity excluding treasury stock	(10,764)	62,304
Treasury stock - at cost, 2,097,043 and 2,133,566 shares at February 4, 2012, and February 5, 2011, respectively	(47,900)	(48,050)
Total CPI Corp. stockholders' (deficit) equity	(58,664)	14,254
Noncontrolling interest in subsidiary (see Note 4)	(149)	16
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity	(58,813)	14,270
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' (DEFICIT) EQUITY	94,530	143,800
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
STOCKHOLDERS' (DEFICIT) EQUITY
Preferred stock, no par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares outstanding	$ 0	$ 0