<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-04-15</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>9950 MAYLAND DRIVE</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>11.45</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2.1868</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.45</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2.1868</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1432.9606</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></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; in a phantom stock account.  Dividends will be reinvested in &quot;phantom stock&quot; units until distributions are made.  The shares underlying the phantom stock units in the director's account will be distributed to the director when he ceases to serve as a director of the company.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Alice G. Givens, Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2004-04-15
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
CC
0001184890
HARDYMON JAMES F
9950 MAYLAND DRIVE
RICHMOND
VA
23233
1
0
0
0
Circuit City Stores Inc. Performance Rights
11.45
2004-04-15
4
A
0
2.1868
11.45
A
Common
2.1868
1432.9606
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" in a phantom stock account.  Dividends will be reinvested in "phantom stock" units until distributions are made.  The shares underlying the phantom stock units in the director's account will be distributed to the director when he ceases to serve as a director of the company.
Alice G. Givens, Attorney in Fact
2004-04-19