"Don't know a LBS, not from CA, but Surly Crosscheck's are nice. What type of riding are you going to use it for?"
Commuting, adventure/fitness rides, some trail riding, general abuse. The bike's main beat will be the roads in my town (not so smooth).
"The Fuji is a very nice bike and spec'd great for the money too. Jamis also makes the Nova which seems like a good value. The nice thing about the Surly is it's versatility. You won't find a more versatile frame. It can take mountain bike hubs, or road hubs, can be made into a single speed or geared, fenders are easy to mount for commuting or wet weather riding. It is really an SUV bike able to handle most anything. I have used it for road duty and it works great as a road bike too, and the price is right"
I'm almost sure I will get the Surly myself, for the same reasons you mentioned. The "plug and play" single speed capability, the way it looks, and Surly's small-company feel are what do it for me. I would consider the Jamis since it's very affordable, but it just doesn't seem to "have it."