<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000104599</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184890</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARDYMON JAMES F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Circuit City Stores Inc. Performance Rights</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2.7159</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>9.17</value></transactionValue><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>2.7159</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1425.8595</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><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><ownerSignature><signatureName>Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0101
4
2003-07-15
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
CC
0001184890
HARDYMON JAMES F
1
0
0
0
Circuit City Stores Inc. Performance Rights
9.17
2003-07-15
4
A
0
2.7159
9.17
A
1988-08-08
1988-08-08
Common
2.7159
1425.8595
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
2003-07-17