Hey Scrod,
Wanting to get my first fixed gear, I went to the friendly LBS around the block. I told them my budget for the bike was $500 max. They offered a Retrospec, which I rode around for an hour or so. Asking what else they could put together, when I mentioned chromoly they offered a Surly or Jamis, way over budget.
I decided to get a KiloTT. Following up I've gone back to the LBS and spent almost a couple hundred $$ on accessories and such. Can I stop feeling guilty now for buying from the interwebs?
Cheapskate Pirate