Lease Termination and Impairment Charges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2015 store	Nov. 29, 2014	Aug. 30, 2014	May 31, 2014	Mar. 01, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Aug. 31, 2013	Jun. 01, 2013	Feb. 28, 2015 store	Mar. 01, 2014	Mar. 02, 2013
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges	$ 21,284,000	$ 8,702,000	$ 7,111,000	$ 4,848,000	$ 17,270,000	$ 1,672,000	$ 11,390,000	$ 10,972,000	$ 41,945,000	$ 41,304,000	$ 70,859,000
Number of stores	4,570								4,570
Lease termination charges										8,750,000
Revenues and operating losses of closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues	6,847,929,000	6,692,333,000	6,522,584,000	6,465,531,000	6,597,459,000	6,357,732,000	6,278,165,000	6,293,057,000	26,528,377,000	25,526,413,000	25,392,263,000
(Loss) income before income taxes	119,067,000	106,717,000	147,709,000	53,327,000	49,371,000	72,936,000	35,037,000	92,874,000	426,820,000	250,218,000	7,505,000
Depreciation and amortization									416,628,000	403,741,000	414,111,000
Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Long-lived assets	1,978,000,000								1,978,000,000
Number of stores	4,570								4,570
Impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									14,438,000	13,077,000	24,892,000
Total number of locations	429				434				429	434	564
Impairment charges | Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									12,126,000	11,748,000	23,973,000
Number of stores	394				396				394	396	530
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									2,312,000	1,329,000	919,000
Number of facilities	35				38				35	38	34
Actual and approved store closings | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									372,000	531,000	325,000
Number of facilities	24				31				24	31	29
Actual and approved relocations | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									50,000
Number of facilities	2								2
Existing surplus properties | Closed facilities
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									1,890,000	798,000	594,000
Number of facilities	9				7				9	7	5
Additional current period charges for stores previously impaired in prior periods | Active stores
Lease termination and impairment charges
Lease termination and impairment charges									6,949,000	4,162,000	5,835,000
Number of stores	376				378				376	378	469
Number of stores fully impaired									369	375	464
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									1,108,000	4,028,000	9,190,000
Number of stores	2				1				2	1	14
Number of stores fully impaired									1	1	14
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									4,069,000	3,558,000	8,948,000
Number of stores	16				17				16	17	47
Number of stores fully impaired									14	14	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
Lease termination charges
Lease termination and impairment charges
Number of stores	10				15				10	15	14
Lease termination charges									27,507,000	28,227,000	45,967,000
Closed store and distribution center charges
Balance-beginning of period				284,270,000				323,757,000	284,270,000	323,757,000	367,864,000
Provision for present value of noncancellable lease payments of closed stores									1,661,000	11,646,000	14,440,000
Changes in assumptions about future sublease income, terminations and changes in interest rates									7,560,000	(4,343,000)	9,023,000
Interest accretion									18,988,000	21,250,000	23,246,000
Cash payments, net of sublease income									(71,432,000)	(68,040,000)	(90,816,000)
Balance-end of period	241,047,000				284,270,000				241,047,000	284,270,000	323,757,000
Closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues and operating losses of closed stores or stores approved for closure
Revenues									59,520,000	175,868,000	306,501,000
Operating expenses									68,425,000	192,416,000	332,146,000
Gain from sale of assets									(5,516,000)	(13,075,000)	(19,877,000)
Other expenses (income)									571,000	(8,197,000)	1,647,000
(Loss) income before income taxes									(3,960,000)	4,724,000	(7,415,000)
Depreciation and amortization									300,000	1,126,000	2,817,000
Inventory liquidation charges									$ 588,000	$ 621,000	$ 1,039,000