Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2016	Oct. 03, 2015
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 16,324	$ 15,579
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	16,466	15,385
Share-based compensation	2,065	2,154
Deferred income taxes	799	878
Provision for doubtful accounts	115	62
Lower of cost or market inventory adjustments	1,962	2,128
Loss on asset disposals	193	716
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Trade receivables	(1,850)	(1,784)
Merchandise inventories	(10,788)	(24,814)
Other current assets	6,776	7,624
Other assets	(525)	308
Accounts payable	28,853	5,070
Accrued payroll	(7,371)	2,861
Accrued expenses and other	7,101	2,761
Deferred items and other non-current liabilities	257	95
Net cash provided by operating activities	60,377	29,023
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	27	29
Purchases of property and equipment	(14,800)	(15,640)
Net cash used in investing activities	(14,773)	(15,611)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Borrowings on line of credit	951	816
Repayments on line of credit	(927)	(816)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	1,141
Proceeds from sale of common stock pursuant to Associates Stock Buying Plan	287	296
Treasury shares acquired	(149)	(114)
Net cash provided by financing activities	162	1,323
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(4)	76
NET INCREASE IN CASH	45,762	14,811
CASH AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD	48,159	45,675
CASH AT END OF PERIOD	93,921	60,486
Other cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	225	220
Cash (refunded) paid for income taxes, net of refunds of $2,947 and $80	(1,587)	44
Non-cash investing activities
Property and equipment additions in accounts payable	$ 1,842	$ 836