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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-17</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000104599</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cc</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209889</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COOPER RICHARD N</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>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8114</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-06-17</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-06-17</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8114</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8114</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6099</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>12.29</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-06-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6099</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>29183</value><footnoteId id="F4"/><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>SARS</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6099</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>12.29</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-06-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6099</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10488</value><footnoteId id="F4"/><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1 for 1</footnote><footnote id="F2">Thirty-three and one third percent (33 1/3%) of the restricted stock units shall vest on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of June 17, 2003.  These shares cannot be sold while serving as Board of Director for Circuit City Stores Inc.</footnote><footnote id="F3">These options were cancelled due to reaching the expiration date.</footnote><footnote id="F4">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="F5">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 Wilburn Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0101
4
2003-06-17
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
cc
0001209889
COOPER RICHARD N
1
0
0
0
Restricted Stock Units
0
2003-06-17
5
A
0
8114
0
A
2004-06-17
2006-06-17
Common Stock
8114
8114
D
Options
12.29
2003-06-18
4
J
0
6099
12.29
D
1999-06-18
2003-06-18
Common Stock
6099
29183
D
SARS
12.29
2003-06-18
4
J
0
6099
12.29
D
1999-06-18
2003-06-18
Common Stock
6099
10488
D
1 for 1
Thirty-three and one third percent (33 1/3%) of the restricted stock units shall vest on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of June 17, 2003.  These shares cannot be sold while serving as Board of Director for Circuit City Stores Inc.
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 Wilburn Attorney in Fact
2003-06-17