THE TICKER // CHICAGO

Spiegel to Move Work to Ohio Spiegel Inc. will close its "separateship" catalog operation in Bensenville in June, a move that willaffect 120 employees. The operation will move to Spiegel's newcatalog facility in Columbus, Ohio. Downers Grove-based Spiegel saidit would provide outplacement assistance and enhanced benefits toworkers. The facility handled the distribution of large merchandisethat was shipped individually to customers.Architects to Open Calif. Office Perkins & Will, a Chicago-basedarchitecture firm, will open an office in Pasadena, Calif. It hasretained California architect Gaylaird Christopher as principal ofthe firm's education group and head of the new office. Perkins &Will also has offices in Atlanta, New York, Charlotte, N.C., andBerlin.Equity May Buy 8,200 Units Equity Residential Properties Trust ofChicago is in talks with the Balcor Co. to acquire 26 multifamilyproperties from certain limited partnerships. The proposedacquisitions may consist of as many as 8,200 units in nine states forabout $300 million.Meeting on the Net Bell & Howell Co., the Skokie-based informationstorage and retrieval firm, is making its annual meeting accessibleon the Internet. Shareholders will be able to listen to the May 16meeting with audio software and submit questions via e-mail. Themeeting will be in Ann Arbor, Mich., where B & H's UniversityMicrographics Inc. division is based. For information, includingfree audio software, go to http:; ; www.bellhowell.comPretzel Chain Rolls Out New Stores Pennsylvania-based Auntie Anne'sHand-Rolled Soft Pretzels said it would open five stores in areashopping malls by July, which will bring the number of stores in theChicago area to 18. Stores are planned for Old Orchard, GurneeMills, Northbrook Court, Woodfield and Water Tower Place. All areowned by Double P. Corp., a franchisee.Binks Earnings Decline Franklin Park-based Binks Manufacturing Co.has reported first quarter net earnings of $1.1 million or 36 centsper share, compared with $1.4 million or 46 cents per share in theyear-ago quarter. Net sales were $65.4 million, up from $59 million.County Line Square Sold Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. has soldCounty Line Square, a 90,171-square-foot shopping center in BurrRidge, to BRC Ltd., a Florida-based limited partnership. Terms werenot disclosed.