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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-10</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000104599</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cc</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209883</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WELLS JEFFREY S</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>Circuit City Stores Inc. Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-10</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>33748</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>11.17</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-06-10</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-10</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>33748</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>376476</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Circuit City Stores Inc. SARS</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.17</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-10</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>33748</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>11.17</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-06-10</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-10</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>33748</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20999</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 of June 10/2003.</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 Wilburn Attorney in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-10</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0101
4
2003-06-10
0000104599
CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC
cc
0001209883
WELLS JEFFREY S
0
1
0
0
Senior Vice President
Circuit City Stores Inc. Options
11.17
2003-06-10
4
J
0
33748
11.17
D
1997-06-10
2003-06-10
Common Stock
33748
376476
D
Circuit City Stores Inc. SARS
11.17
2003-06-10
4
J
0
33748
11.17
D
1997-06-10
2003-06-10
Common Stock
33748
20999
D
These options were cancelled due to reaching the expiration date of June 10/2003.
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
2003-06-10