<ARTICLE>                     5
 <MULTIPLIER>   1,000
       
                                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        3-MOS             6-MOS            9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               FEB-1-1997        FEB-1-1997       FEB-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                   MAY-25-1996       AUG-17-1996      NOV-09-1996
<CASH>                              38,800            44,837           42,834
<SECURITIES>                             0                 0                0
<RECEIVABLES>                       23,024            46,752           34,579
<ALLOWANCES>                             0                 0                0
<INVENTORY>                        559,009           560,790          679,430
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                   664,437           694,990          804,564
<PP&E>                           1,578,088         1,629,617        1,542,501
<DEPRECIATION>                     568,972           592,536          605,919
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                   1,702,820         1,775,688        1,760,738
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>              414,010           455,401          554,890
<BONDS>                            616,655           636,469          576,891
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0                 0                0
<PREFERRED>                              0                 0                0
<COMMON>                               540               540              540
<OTHER-SE>                         578,565           593,994          531,311
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>     1,702,820         1,775,688        1,760,738
<SALES>                          1,040,028         1,893,942        2,729,084
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                 1,040,028         1,893,942        2,729,084
<CGS>                              737,956         1,336,484        1,927,199
<TOTAL-COSTS>                      273,736           495,471          721,426
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                         0                 0                0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                         0                 0                0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                  13,104            22,282           30,606
<INCOME-PRETAX>                     15,232            39,705           49,853
<INCOME-TAX>                         5,788            15,088           18,944
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                  9,444            24,617           30,909
<DISCONTINUED>                           0                 0                0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                          0                 0                0
<CHANGES>                                0                 0                0
<NET-INCOME>                         9,444            24,617           30,909
<EPS-PRIMARY>                         0.18              0.46             0.59
<EPS-DILUTED>                         0.17              0.43             0.55