@alice
I don't have as much advice as I might have back when I sold guitars, because I haven't looked at entry level stuff in a long time, but I think I have some points that still hold up:
Above the bargain basement, garbage-tier instruments, most entry level stuff at reputable guitar shops will be decent.

Avoid Amazon, or any other big box and stick to a musical instrument store. Independent would be better than Guitar Center. Not super familiar with the Seattle retailers, but I've done business with Emerald City and Thunder Road in the past.

Used is great. If you don't have someone who plays to help you along, those indy shops I mentioned are usually good about making sure things play as well as they can before they sell them.

If you buy something used from a pawn shop, Craigslist, etc, getting a setup done at a decent shop is worthwhile. There are a ton of adjustments on a guitar and having someone who knows their stuff go through them can make a HUGE difference.

It's less of a thing than it was in the past, but if you get a shop that's giving you a shitty misogynistic vibe, tell them off and take a walk elsewhere... Not that I probably have to tell you that. Still, guitar shops are one of those places where that kind of shit can hide with a largely male clientele.