SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2013 item	Jan. 28, 2012 item	Jan. 29, 2011 item
BUSINESS
Number of general lines of business	2
Number of states in which entity operates	35
FISCAL YEAR END
Number of weeks in a fiscal year	53	52	52
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Maximum period during which credit and debit card transactions settle are classified as cash and cash equivalents	7 days
MERCHANDISE INVENTORIES
Value of inventory under FIFO method	$ 565,800,000	$ 536,400,000
Inventory adjustments	4,600,000	4,600,000
Property and Equipment
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,162,909,000)	(1,110,900,000)
Property and equipment - net	657,270,000	696,339,000
Land
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment - gross	203,386,000	204,023,000
Buildings and improvements
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment - gross	885,389,000	875,999,000
Buildings and improvements | Minimum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	5 years
Buildings and improvements | Maximum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	40 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment - gross	728,122,000	723,938,000
Furniture, fixtures and equipment | Minimum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	3 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment | Maximum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	10 years
Construction in progress
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment - gross	$ 3,282,000	$ 3,279,000