I would not fixate on one particular brand of bike. Trek is probably the best known bike brand in the US, but it is far from being the only well known bike manufacturer around. At your price point there are dozens of equally good quality bikes. I would not count on the opinion of one person as a starting point for shopping. In your place I would visit several shops and ask what they have that might suit you. Ask questions keeping in mind that the person you ask will also be giving personal opinions. In the current market one of the biggest problems is availability given current supply chain issues. Last December I was in the market for a bike and I found a Giant gravel bike that was just what I wanted. The store I went to isn't a full range dealer, so the owner sent me to another store where I was told that they wouldn't be able to get one before August of this year. Needless to say I looked elsewhere, ending up buying a very similar Canyon online. I have years of experience assembling an building bikes, so it wasn't a problem to order the bike and build it up once it arrived in a box. As a newcomer to cycling you are probably better served buying a complete bike from a local shop