Don't look for a bike that comes with flatbars. If you really want ***** bars, buy them separate and throw them on there. Your choices for stock FB are very limited.

Novara (REI) seem to be decent bikes and money towards dividend is always cool. That's where I first found out about my bike. My LBS just happened to have one in my side to test ride.... If you want a specific bike, look into going to an official dealer. You'll pay more than if you bought online, but they can fit it to you and let you test ride.