Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Mar. 02, 2013	Dec. 01, 2012	Sep. 01, 2012	Jun. 02, 2012	Mar. 03, 2012	Nov. 26, 2011	Aug. 27, 2011	May 28, 2011	Mar. 02, 2013	Mar. 03, 2012	Feb. 26, 2011
Current tax expense (benefit):
Federal									$ (6,305)	$ 0	$ (36)
State									7,928	3,654	9,348
Total current tax expense (benefit)									1,623	3,654	9,312
Deferred tax expense (benefit):
Federal									(61,544)	1,729	1,959
State									(50,679)	(29,069)	(1,429)
Total deferred tax expense (benefit)									(112,223)	(27,340)	530
Total income tax expense (benefit)	(46,782)	777	(2,866)	(61,729)	(24,219)	972	(2,712)	2,273	(110,600)	(23,686)	9,842
Reconciliation of the expected statutory federal tax and the total income tax benefit
Federal statutory tax rate (as a percent)									35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Expected federal statutory expense at 35%									2,626	(137,279)	(190,956)
Nondeductible expenses									1,897	2,408	1,354
State income taxes, net									39,470	11,492	(18,139)
Increase (decrease) of previously recorded liabilities									(91,881)	(17,771)	647
Recoverable Federal tax due to special 5-year NOL carryback									(6,305)
Release of Indemnification Asset									37,324
Indemnification Receipt									587
Valuation allowance									(94,318)	117,464	216,936
Total income tax expense (benefit)	(46,782)	777	(2,866)	(61,729)	(24,219)	972	(2,712)	2,273	(110,600)	(23,686)	9,842
Deferred tax assets:
Accounts receivable	62,745				54,119				62,745	54,119
Accrued expenses	214,110				252,560				214,110	252,560
Liability for lease exit costs	142,456				158,454				142,456	158,454
Pension, retirement and other benefits	219,515				218,197				219,515	218,197
Long-lived assets	374,101				298,877				374,101	298,877
Other	2,079				1,994				2,079	1,994
Credits	62,121				71,716				62,121	71,716
Net operating losses	1,558,694				1,584,626				1,558,694	1,584,626
Total gross deferred tax assets	2,635,821				2,640,543				2,635,821	2,640,543
Valuation allowance	(2,223,675)				(2,317,425)				(2,223,675)	(2,317,425)
Total deferred tax assets	412,146				323,118				412,146	323,118
Deferred tax liabilities:
Inventory	412,146				323,118				412,146	323,118
Total gross deferred tax liabilities	412,146				323,118				412,146	323,118
Reconciliation of beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Unrecognized tax benefits at beginning of the period				247,722				286,952	247,722	286,952	300,707
Increases to prior year tax positions									6,305		8,872
Decreases to tax positions in prior periods									(196,214)	(11,125)	(16,940)
Increases to current year tax positions											821
Settlements									(3,655)		(2,498)
Lapse of statute of limitations									(24,138)	(28,105)	(4,010)
Unrecognized tax benefits balance at end of the period	30,020				247,722				30,020	247,722	286,952
Unrecognized tax benefits which would impact effective tax rate, if recognized	14,651				83,804				14,651	83,804	109,030
Recoverable indemnification asset from Jean Coutu Group	$ 30,710				$ 156,797				$ 30,710	$ 156,797	$ 158,209