Some people came shopping early in the morning looking for great Black Friday deals. Others came from a longing for shopping in a mall. And others only came because many shops opened earlier.

Based on visits to Target and Walmart in Livonia and the Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Black Friday lacked the hectic scenes of previous years, but attracted respectable crows.

More than anything, it was a 30-year tradition that brought three friends to a Target and Walmart restaurant in Livonia at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.

They were joined by a small but steady stream of customers — a far cry from the massive lines of previous launches after Thanksgiving through the holiday shopping season.

“The thrill is gone,” said Kimberly Williams of Redford Township. She, Barbara Morgan and Shirl Lampkin remember that getting up early the day after Thanksgiving was the only way to get deep discounts.

“We remember the long lines and the madness,” Morgan said. “That’s not the case anymore. I haven’t been like that in a while.”