I run a SS coaster on the bike I usually ride these days (a 70s Motobecane). I love it, works fine.
I find the cheapo Shimano types perfectly usable, inexpensive, and ubiquitous. Not classy by any means, but it just works. Never had problems using 14g spokes. The only classy new SS coaster brake hub I'm aware of is the Velosteel. Copied from the old Sachs design. Classy in that it's nicely made, precision machined and pretty. Unfortunately, it weighs about half a pound more than the cheap Shimano style hub and seems to not brake as well. A real bummer. And it's damn near impossble to get, anyway.
Almost all SS coaster brake hubs are spaced for 110mm. However, it seems pretty common for them to have extra long axles, and will accomodate many spacers. My MTB is a SS coaster, and uses extra nuts from a junked kid's bike as spacers to fill out the rest of the 135mm rear spacing.
I do ride a couple of bikes with only a coaster brake, and they are sufficient. I personally have a hard time believing a coaster brake would be worse than a brakeless fixie, and more likely almost always better, in terms of stopping power.
Any new hub you get might do well with a good grease packing before use. If you manage to get a Velosteel, it's absolutely imperative to grease it, as it comes from the factory with only a symbolic amount of grease (looked more like a very thin coat of vaseline to me).
Older coaster brake hubs are not too difficult to dig up, and some are pretty decent. I'd stick with Bendix or Sachs if you want "old" and "decent". Try to make sure they're functional before lacing them up, though. Getting replacement parts can be tricky. Fortunately, SS coaster brake hubs in general are very sturdy beasts that last a long time.
Lastly, I find that tire size makes a difference with coaster brake stopping power. Skinnier, bigger diameter tires typical on road bikes (27", 700c) seem to exhibit less stopping power than fatter smaller diameter tires (such as 26" and smaller MTB/cruiser/BMX, etc). Road bike tires also tend to be thinner constructed, and much more prone to wear out, as a rear brake tends to skid (if even just a little bit).