GUARANTOR AND NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	May 04, 2013	Feb. 02, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Apr. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 9,017	$ 7,926		$ 14,295	$ 14,272
Merchandise inventories	731,461	758,400
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	71,613	70,601
Total current assets	812,091	836,927
Property, fixtures and equipment at cost, net	642,190	652,822
Deferred income taxes	16,328	15,010
Intangible assets, net	108,680	110,563
Other long-term assets	17,904	18,887
Total assets	1,597,193	1,634,209
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	184,343	193,898
Accrued payroll and benefits	29,162	32,410
Accrued expenses	149,648	165,536
Current maturities of long-term debt and obligations under capital leases	10,989	79,811
Deferred income taxes	22,020	20,256
Income taxes payable	32	739
Total current liabilities	396,194	492,650
Long-term debt and obligations under capital leases, less current maturities	907,075	821,342
Other long-term liabilities	209,131	209,611
Total liabilities	1,512,400	1,523,603
Total shareholders' equity	84,793	110,606
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,597,193	1,634,209
Parent
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1		1	1
Total current assets	1	1
Investment in and advances to (from) affiliates	84,792	110,605
Total assets	84,793	110,606
Current liabilities:
Total shareholders' equity	84,793	110,606
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	84,793	110,606
Issuer
Condensed consolidating balance sheet
Number of stores contributed			3
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,207	3,414		4,599	4,695
Merchandise inventories	459,670	493,780
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	62,848	62,855
Total current assets	525,725	560,049
Property, fixtures and equipment at cost, net	219,160	221,966
Deferred income taxes	6,622	6,216
Intangible assets, net	35,805	36,666
Investment in and advances to (from) affiliates	378,507	366,851
Other long-term assets	16,352	17,389
Total assets	1,182,171	1,209,137
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	184,343	193,898
Accrued payroll and benefits	24,908	26,899
Accrued expenses	76,951	86,686
Current maturities of long-term debt and obligations under capital leases	884	69,874
Deferred income taxes	10,395	9,777
Income taxes payable		12
Total current liabilities	297,481	387,146
Long-term debt and obligations under capital leases, less current maturities	643,942	555,532
Other long-term liabilities	155,045	155,208
Total liabilities	1,096,468	1,097,886
Total shareholders' equity	85,703	111,251
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,182,171	1,209,137
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	5,809	4,511		9,695	9,576
Merchandise inventories	271,791	264,620
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	5,483	4,414
Total current assets	283,083	273,545
Property, fixtures and equipment at cost, net	174,363	179,437
Deferred income taxes	9,706	8,794
Intangible assets, net	72,875	73,897
Investment in and advances to (from) affiliates	316,549	328,183
Other long-term assets	472	343
Total assets	857,048	864,199
Current liabilities:
Accrued payroll and benefits	4,254	5,511
Accrued expenses	73,194	79,350
Current maturities of long-term debt and obligations under capital leases	3,091	3,034
Deferred income taxes	11,625	10,479
Income taxes payable	32	727
Total current liabilities	92,196	99,101
Long-term debt and obligations under capital leases, less current maturities	45,484	46,279
Other long-term liabilities	52,469	52,815
Total liabilities	190,149	198,195
Total shareholders' equity	666,899	666,004
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	857,048	864,199
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	3,933	3,910
Total current assets	3,933	3,910
Property, fixtures and equipment at cost, net	248,667	251,419
Investment in and advances to (from) affiliates	(52)	(52)
Other long-term assets	1,080	1,155
Total assets	253,628	256,432
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses	154	78
Current maturities of long-term debt and obligations under capital leases	7,014	6,903
Total current liabilities	7,168	6,981
Long-term debt and obligations under capital leases, less current maturities	217,649	219,531
Other long-term liabilities	1,617	1,588
Total liabilities	226,434	228,100
Total shareholders' equity	27,194	28,332
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	253,628	256,432
Consolidating Eliminations
Current assets:
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(651)	(578)
Total current assets	(651)	(578)
Investment in and advances to (from) affiliates	(779,796)	(805,587)
Total assets	(780,447)	(806,165)
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses	(651)	(578)
Total current liabilities	(651)	(578)
Total liabilities	(651)	(578)
Total shareholders' equity	(779,796)	(805,587)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (780,447)	$ (806,165)