<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000104599</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209866</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FEIGIN BARBARA S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9950 MAYLAND DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RICHMOND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>23233</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Circuit City Stores Inc. Performance Rights</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.68</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2.582</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>9.68</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2.582</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1430.7735</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This director has chosen to defer their annual stock retainer grants for the years 2000, 2001, and 2002 under the &quot;Directors Deferred Compensation Plan&quot;.  Deferred shares are held as &quot;phantom stock&quot;.  Dividends will be reinvested in &quot;phantom stock&quot; units until such distributions are made.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3017}]
X0201
4
2004-01-15
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
CC
0001209866
FEIGIN BARBARA S
9950 MAYLAND DRIVE
RICHMOND
VA
23233
1
0
0
0
Circuit City Stores Inc. Performance Rights
9.68
2004-01-15
4
A
0
2.582
9.68
A
1988-08-08
1988-08-08
Common
2.582
1430.7735
D
This director has chosen to defer their annual stock retainer grants for the years 2000, 2001, and 2002 under the "Directors Deferred Compensation Plan".  Deferred shares are held as "phantom stock".  Dividends will be reinvested in "phantom stock" units until such distributions are made.
Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact
2004-01-15