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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-17</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000104599</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cc</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209886</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHALIFOUX MICHAEL T</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>Executive Vice President/CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Circuit City Stores Inc. Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8100</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>210800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Officer retired from Circuit City Stores Inc effective 6/17/2003.  LTI Restricted shares cancelled upon retirement date.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2347}]
X0101
4
2003-06-17
1
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
cc
0001209886
CHALIFOUX MICHAEL T
0
1
0
0
Executive Vice President/CFO
Circuit City Stores Inc. Common Stock
2003-06-17
4
J
0
8100
0
D
210800
D
Officer retired from Circuit City Stores Inc effective 6/17/2003.  LTI Restricted shares cancelled upon retirement date.
Susan WilburnAttorney in Fact
2003-06-19