I think the only brand name I recognized in that post is Brooks, and I didn't know Brooks made grips. Apparently the Carrera Kraken has yet to make inroads in Nevada. The few reviews I could find online seem to indicate that it's a decent bike, though, so it should be worth a few upgrades.
It sounds like you're on the right track in shopping around, and you'll soon find who offers the best prices. I've redone several old bikes in that price range, and I know what I'd buy here, but you're in a world that's strange to me. Ask around locally. I would caution you against falling in love with the bike or the project to the point that you put more into it than it's worth, though. It's easy to do, but do you really need everything you've listed? Cleaner/degreaser and lubricant can salvage a lot of bikes, and they're relatively cheap.