Hot on the heels of public outcry over thousands of dollars in junked wedding dresses at a now-closed Edina boutique, parent company David's Bridal has formally apologized.

Locals snapped photos of the dresses—which had been marked with red spray paint—heaped into a dumpster near the former Priscilla of Boston this weekend. 

The Edina store was one of 19 U.S. locations recently closed due to the poor business climate.

The story made it all the way to NBC's TODAY Show, which saw irate comments trickle in from readers across the country.

David's Bridal issued a formal statement Wednesday, apologizing for the way the store handled its leftover merchandise.

Like many of you, we were disheartened by imagery of a small number of unsold bridal gowns being destroyed following a Priscilla of Boston salon closure in the Midwest. As the parent company of Priscilla of Boston, we fully understand the anger and frustration that many people are feeling about this occurrence.

While it has been Priscilla of Boston’s policy not to make donations of sample dresses that are in poor condition, we recognize that some of these dresses could possibly have gone to worthy causes. David’s Bridal has already begun bringing together all of the remaining Priscilla of Boston gowns to evaluate them and ensure that they are donated to our charitable partners wherever possible.

From all of us at David’s Bridal, we truly appreciate hearing your sentiments. We believe that every bride deserves a beautiful gown, and we will continue to honor that commitment.

Edina resident Laura Plaetzer witnessed the destruction first-hand, saying she was disappointed the owner chose to ruin the designer dresses rather than donate them or turn the situation into a massive fundraiser. The crew of workers tasked with disposing of the dresses was equally saddened, she said.

"I felt so sorry for the guys she hired to spray them and clean out her store," Plaetzer said. "They were really upset about being forced to spray the dresses."

Plaetzer rescued several wooden engraved hangers from the trash heap, saying she hoped to donate at least something to a worthy cause.