I used to live down in Highland Park, and there was a decent bike shop there.

Check out the Trek 1200 or the Trek 1500, or their component equals from Giant, Specialized, and Fuji.

Most bikes come with Shimano components, and the model line up from worst to best goes Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, and Dura Ace. I never liked the Sora stuff, especially the shifters, so find a bike either new or used, with Tiagra or 105 components.