Shoppers began feasting on deals on Thanksgiving, but just how hungry they'll remain is yet to be seen.

Analysts have questioned whether Black Friday is losing its cachet as retailers have pushed opening times into Thanksgiving. On Friday, the turnout was tame at some stores around the country.

Here's how the day is playing out. All times are EST, unless otherwise specified.

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Friday, 1 p.m.: Weed Friday

Colorado has a new Black Friday tradition: Marijuana shops drawing shoppers with discounted weed and holiday gift sets.

At Denver Kush Club in Denver, about two dozen customers were lined up in subfreezing temperatures and snow showers to take advantage of the deals.

The first few customers got free joints, free rolling papers and a T-shirt with purchase. Medical customers were offered ounces of marijuana for $99 — a savings of about 50 percent.

The shop blasted reggae music and welcomed the crowd with Green Friday welcome cheers. Similar deals were offered last year, the first in which retail recreational marijuana sales opened.

"We get a lot of people in the first few hours, just like any store on Black Friday," said co-owner Joaquin Ortega. He said marijuana gift-giving is becoming more common, though most were shopping for themselves Friday.

—Kristen Wyatt, Denver

Friday, 12 p.m.: Shopping amid protests in Chicago

A protest got underway in Chicago's shopping district, with the Rev. Jesse Jackson in the middle of a crowd shouting: "What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now!"

The march comes after the release of a video earlier in the week showing the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by police officer Jason Van Dyke. The video set off days of largely peaceful protests.

On Black Friday, demonstrators took to the city's main shopping area to keep the issue front and center. Several hundred gathered in the drizzling rain, many with plastic-wrapped signs.

One demonstrator, Frank Chapman, 73, said the video confirms what activists have said for years about Chicago police brutality.

—AP Staff

Friday, 11:30 a.m.: Bad timing

Visitors to Neiman Marcus' website Friday got a message saying, "We'll be back soon. We're currently making improvements to your shopping experience."

A representative for Neiman Marcus, Ginger Reeder, said the company is "working fervently to determine the problem and get the site back up."

—AP Staff

Friday, 11 a.m.:

Business was brisk but not overwhelming at a Macy's in Kansas City as rain that started Thursday morning continued falling. There didn't appear to be any lines more than a few customers deep.

Gerri Spencer and her daughter left home at 4 a.m. Friday and were at Cabella's in Kansas City, Kansas, an hour later.

"There was a very long line, a few tents and a lot of lawn chairs," Spencer said.

The pair made their way five hours later to a Macy's store. Thanks to so many stores opening on Thanksgiving night, Spencer said the crowds seemed sparser than in the past when Black Friday meant "getting out at the crack of dawn" to get the best deals.

—Bill Draper, Kansas City

Friday, 10:30 a.m.: Teens feast on deals

Teenagers dominated the Black Friday crowd at the mall in Pleasanton, California.

Sarah Fehrnstrom, 13, said she spent $130 on sweat shirts, pants, makeup and perfume in a couple hours. Her budget was $300 for the day of marathon shopping.

"It's hard to get money as a teenager," Fehrnstrom said. "When there's sales, we come out."

— Scott Smith, Pleasanton, California.

Friday, 8:30 a.m.: Missing the crowd

Some Black Friday shoppers seemed to miss the holiday crowds.

At a Kmart in Denver, Susan Montoya had nearly the entire store to herself. She half-heartedly flipped through a rack of girls' holiday party dresses and looked down the store's empty aisles.

"There's no one out here! No challenge!" she said.

"I'm not even looking for anything. I just come out to see what the deals are and to see everybody getting ready for Christmas. But this is sad. Everyone's online or went shopping yesterday."

—Kristen Wyatt, Denver

Friday, 8 a.m.: Too late already?

Ashley Walton says her $200 budget on Black Friday was the same as last year, but it didn't buy as much because the best sales were the night before.

"It's Black Thursday now," Walton said.

She didn't go shopping on Thanksgiving because she was in a "turkey coma." When she ventured out Friday, she was disappointed. She said Wal-Mart didn't have all the items she wanted, such as a tablet for her 4-year-old son.

So she went on Amazon and ordered it on her smartphone.

—Marc Levy, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Friday, 8 a.m.: Not what it used to be

Lynette Norcup is nostalgic for Black Fridays of the past.

Sitting in the warmth of her daughter's SUV waiting for Wal-Mart to open, the resident of Pleasanton, California said she thinks the excitement has fizzled with stores opening on Thanksgiving.

Norcup misses the challenge of strategizing to score deals.

— Scott Smith, Pleasanton, California.

Thursday, 8 p.m.: Things are looking up for Target

Target CEO Brian Cornell told reporters on a conference call that early results show the discount chain is seeing higher traffic at its stores than last year. And he said shoppers are buying items across the store, from clothing to electronics to toys.

Cornell also said he has been pleased with strong results in online sales.

—Anne D'Innocenzio, New York

Thursday, 7:30 p.m.: When I shop, I might not buy anything

At the crowded Macy's shoe department in New York City's Herald Square, Karina Maxim, an artist and tarot card reader, was taking a break from shopping. This was her first time shopping on Thanksgiving.

She plans to go to Best Buy Friday. "I'm not going to promise I will buy anything," she said.

—Anne D'Innocenzio, New York

Thursday, 6:45 p.m.: Me time in the mall

Rosy Urrutia shopped on Thanksgiving night as an appetizer before her meal. The Commerce City, Colorado stay-at-home mom had an armful of shoe boxes — two for herself and three for her children — and an electric griddle.

"I have one hour to shop and then I have to get home and cook Thanksgiving dinner," she said. "I just wanted to come shop for some me time, I guess. I love it. But I like cooking for everyone, too."

—Kristen Wyatt, Denver, Colorado