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

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-13</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000104599</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>CC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001209877</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BOWMAN DENNIS J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.21</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>62996</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>10.21</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-05-13</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-05-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>62996</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>400474</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>SARS</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.21</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>62996</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>10.21</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-05-13</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-05-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>62996</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>41997</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">These options were cancelled due to reaching the expiration date.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Effective October 1,2002, in connection with the redemption and cancellation of all of the outstanding shares of Circuit City Stores, Inc. - Carmax Group Common Stock and the separation of Carmax, Inc. from Circuit City Stores, Inc., the Circuit City Stores, Inc.-Circuit City Group common Stock was redesignated &amp;quot;Common Stock&amp;quot; of Circuit City Stores, Inc.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Effective October 1, 2002, in connection with the separation of Carmax Inc. from Circuit City Stores, Inc., the exercise price, number of options and number of shares underlying the options were adjusted pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions set forth in the option plan in order to maintain the pre-separation intrinsic economic value of the options.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-13</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0101
4
2003-05-13
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
CC
0001209877
BOWMAN DENNIS J
0
1
0
0
Senior Vice President
Option
10.21
2003-05-13
4
J
0
62996
10.21
D
1997-05-13
2003-05-13
Common
62996
400474
D
SARS
10.21
2003-05-13
4
J
0
62996
10.21
D
1997-05-13
2003-05-13
Common
62996
41997
D
These options were cancelled due to reaching the expiration date.
Effective October 1,2002, in connection with the redemption and cancellation of all of the outstanding shares of Circuit City Stores, Inc. - Carmax Group Common Stock and the separation of Carmax, Inc. from Circuit City Stores, Inc., the Circuit City Stores, Inc.-Circuit City Group common Stock was redesignated &quot;Common Stock&quot; of Circuit City Stores, Inc.
Effective October 1, 2002, in connection with the separation of Carmax Inc. from Circuit City Stores, Inc., the exercise price, number of options and number of shares underlying the options were adjusted pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions set forth in the option plan in order to maintain the pre-separation intrinsic economic value of the options.
Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact
2003-05-13