Lease Termination and Impairment Charges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Mar. 01, 2014 store	Nov. 30, 2013	Aug. 31, 2013	Jun. 01, 2013	Mar. 02, 2013	Dec. 01, 2012	Sep. 01, 2012	Jun. 02, 2012	Mar. 01, 2014 store	Mar. 02, 2013	Mar. 03, 2012
Lease termination and impairment charges
Percentage of pharmacy business affected by rate compression									97.00%
Lease termination and impairment charges	$ 17,270,000	$ 1,672,000	$ 11,390,000	$ 10,972,000	$ 36,567,000	$ 14,366,000	$ 7,783,000	$ 12,143,000	$ 41,304,000	$ 70,859,000	$ 100,053,000
Number of stores	4,587								4,587
Lease termination charges									8,750,000
Revenues and operating losses of closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues	6,597,459,000	6,357,732,000	6,278,165,000	6,293,057,000	6,455,245,000	6,237,847,000	6,230,884,000	6,468,287,000	25,526,413,000	25,392,263,000	26,121,222,000
Income (loss) before income taxes	49,371,000	72,936,000	35,037,000	92,874,000	76,305,000	62,648,000	(41,631,000)	(89,817,000)	250,218,000	7,505,000	(392,257,000)
Depreciation and amortization									403,741,000	414,111,000	440,582,000
Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Long-lived assets	1,927,000,000								1,927,000,000
Number of stores	4,587				4,623				4,587	4,623	4,667
Impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									13,077,000	24,892,000	51,998,000
Total number of locations	434				564				434	564	732
Number of store closures requiring store lease closing provision									15
Impairment charges | Maximum
Lease termination and impairment charges
Stores expected to be closed in next fiscal year	40								40
Impairment charges | Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									11,748,000	23,973,000	43,353,000
Number of stores	396				530				396	530	663
Cumulative active stores with impairment charges									1,105	1,118	1,091
Period considered for recording impairment charges on the basis of operating loss									2 years
Impairment charges | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									1,329,000	919,000	8,645,000
Number of facilities	38				34				38	34	69
Actual and approved store closings | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									531,000	325,000	2,283,000
Number of facilities	31				29				31	29	55
Actual and approved relocations | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges											499,000
Number of facilities											2
Existing surplus properties | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									798,000	594,000	5,863,000
Number of facilities	7				5				7	5	12
Additional current period charges for stores previously impaired in prior periods | Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									4,162,000	5,835,000	9,822,000
Number of stores	378				469				378	469	591
Number of stores fully impaired									375	464	583
Charges for new, relocated and remodeled stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period | Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									4,028,000	9,190,000	18,926,000
Number of stores	1				14				1	14	19
Number of stores fully impaired									1	14	19
Period considered for impairment of relocated stores									2 years
Charges for new, relocated and remodeled stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period | Active stores | Minimum
Lease termination and impairment charges
Period considered for recording impairment charges on the basis of operating loss									2 years
Period considered for impairment of new stores									3 years
Charges for the remaining stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period | Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									3,558,000	8,948,000	14,605,000
Number of stores	17				47				17	47	53
Number of stores fully impaired									14	43	43
Charges for the remaining stores that did not meet their asset recoverability test in the current period | Active stores | Minimum
Lease termination and impairment charges
Period considered for recording impairment charges on the basis of operating loss									2 years
Stores impaired in prior periods with no current charge
Lease termination and impairment charges
Number of stores	709				588				709	588	428
Stores with a current period charge
Lease termination and impairment charges
Number of stores	396				530				396	530	663
Lease termination charges
Lease termination and impairment charges
Number of stores	15				14				15	14	23
Lease termination charges									28,227,000	45,967,000	48,055,000
Closed store and distribution center charges
Balance-beginning of period				323,757,000				367,864,000	323,757,000	367,864,000	405,350,000
Provision for present value of noncancellable lease payments of closed stores									11,646,000	14,440,000	11,832,000
Changes in assumptions about future sublease income, terminations and changes in interest rates									(4,343,000)	9,023,000	11,305,000
Interest accretion									21,250,000	23,246,000	26,084,000
Cash payments, net of sublease income									(68,040,000)	(90,816,000)	(86,707,000)
Balance-end of period	284,270,000				323,757,000				284,270,000	323,757,000	367,864,000
Closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues and operating losses of closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues									89,416,000	139,082,000	258,263,000
Operating expenses									100,889,000	153,187,000	284,803,000
Gain from sale of assets									(13,074,000)	(19,894,000)	(12,206,000)
Other (income) expenses									(8,268,000)	622,000	(7,874,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes									9,869,000	5,167,000	(6,460,000)
Depreciation and amortization									607,000	1,342,000	3,038,000
Inventory liquidation charges									$ 621,000	$ 708,000	$ 598,000