Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
May 02, 2015	May 03, 2014
Revenues
Net sales	$ 100,701us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 103,159us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Other revenue	1,106us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet	619us-gaap_OtherSalesRevenueNet
Total revenues	101,807us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	103,778us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Cost of products sold, including warehouse distribution and store occupancy costs	73,478us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	75,493us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Gross profit	28,329us-gaap_GrossProfit	28,285us-gaap_GrossProfit
Operating, selling and administrative expenses	29,583us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	29,363us-gaap_OperatingExpenses
Depreciation and amortization	3,763us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	4,465us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Operating loss	(5,017)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(5,543)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest expense, net	547us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	556us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Loss before income taxes	(5,564)	(6,099)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(388)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	17us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net loss before equity method investments	(5,176)	(6,116)
Net (loss) income on equity method investments	(79)	114
Net loss	(5,255)us-gaap_ProfitLoss	(6,002)us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Less: net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	28	(424)
Net loss attributable to Books-A-Million	$ (5,283)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (5,578)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Basic and Diluted
Net loss per common share (usd per share)	$ (0.37)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.38)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted
Weighted average number of shares outstanding	14,188	14,799

Income loss from continuing operations before equity method investments.

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Total costs related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period.

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The current period expense charged against earnings on long-lived, physical assets not used in production, and which are not intended for resale, to allocate or recognize the cost of such assets over their useful lives; or to record the reduction in book value of an intangible asset over the benefit period of such asset; or to reflect consumption during the period of an asset that is not used in production.

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Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

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Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

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Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense.

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The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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Revenues from the sale of other goods or rendering of other services, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy; net of (reduced by) sales adjustments, returns, allowances, and discounts.

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The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

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Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods in the normal course of business, after deducting returns, allowances and discounts.

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Average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS).

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