Photo Provided Stephen Scohy of Scohy Bros’ Flashback Arcade, 405 28th St., Vienna, poses with several vintage arcade machines. The arcade was a dream of Scohy’s and his late brother’s, Mark.

VIENNA — Hanging out with friends in an arcade game room, surrounded by the bells, whistles and pings of pinball machines; sing-song themes of arcade games such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Q-Bert and Dig Dug, while Journey, Pat Benatar, and KISS songs swim through the speakers.

Is it 1982 again?

No. It’s present-day Vienna. A trip to the Scohy Bros’ Flashback Arcade at 405 28th St. offers visitors the opportunity to return to their youth and nostalgia, and relive the 1970s-80s arcade room experience.

Flashback is wall-to-wall authentic pinball and retro-arcade games dating from the 1970s and 1980s. More than 70 retro games allow customers to relive teenage memories and share experiences with another generation.

Owner Stephen Scohy describes Flashback as an interactive museum. All the games and more are from a collection he’s amassed over the last two decades.

Photo Provided More than 70 arcade machines from the ‘70s and ‘80s adorn Scohy Bros’ Flashback Arcade at 405 28th St.

“I bought my first pinball machine in 1999. I knew I was in trouble,” Scohy said. “I bought a second a month later. My next purchase I bought four machines at one time. It’s an addiction.”

Over the years, Scohy filled his house, including his garage, with the machines. A few months ago, he bought a commercial building in Vienna with the aim to open a retro arcade.

Flashback is the completion of a life-long dream shared by Scohy and his brother, Mark.

“This was our dream: to open a retro arcade,” Scohy said. “However, my brother passed away unexpectedly, two years ago, before we could make our dream come true.”

Mark Scohy died of an apparent heart attack in 2014. He was 50.

As a nod to his brother, Stephen Scohy kept the name “Scohy Bros’ Flashback Arcade.”

He charges a $10 entry fee and offers unlimited free play on more than 70 retro arcade and pinball games, pool and foosball tables.

Flashback is open 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and 4-11 p.m. Saturday.

Flashback held a soft opening in November. Scohy set up a Facebook page about two weeks prior and announced the opening. The response was positive and immediate. Scohy said when the doors opened they saw 100-plus retro gamers the first weekend of December.

Flashback has been pulling in new customers and regulars on a steady basis. One player made a two-hour drive from Kentucky to play for his birthday.

“People come in here and remember playing these machines years, decades ago,” Scohy said.

Scohy said Flashback draws an array of customers. Grandparents and grandkids. Single parents and kids. And 20- and 30-year-old gamers.

Players under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. Not because of the language, but because the machines, some of which are more than 45 years old, are antiques.

The opportunity for people to play these machines is rare.

Some of the machines — like the KISS and Rolling Stones pinball machines — are worth thousands of dollars. Others — such as Spectrum and Solar Fire pinball machines — are rare, with less than 1,000 manufactured.

Scohy, a real estate appraiser by day, buys the machines in used, and in many cases, broken condition. He taught himself how to repair them.

Scohy has acquired and repaired more than 80 pinball machines and close to 40 video arcade games; most were games he played as a kid at the Escape Hatch, the Corner Pocket and FunLand.

“Growing up in Vienna there wasn’t much to do,” he said.

As a kid, Scohy would mow lawns and shovel snow to earn money to go to the arcade.

“Pinball was the first game I was good at,” he said.

While there are other arcades in the area and the state, Scohy has the market cornered with regard to vintage, retro games that revisit the pinball era of the 1970s and the arcade craze of the ’80s. His machines are authentic.

Four of the arcade games are from the old Escape Hatch game room that was once part of the Grand Central Mall. Another was at GC Murphy’s, also in the Mall.

Two other machines came from Skate Country in south Parkersburg.

Scohy even has a West Virginia-themed pinball machine, a Bally’s 1987 Blackwater 100 machine.

And another, a near-pristine pinball machine, from the early 1970s that came from Spain.

His personal favorite remains the 1980 Flash Gordon pinball machine.

“I play it every day,” he said standing over it.

Scohy and his wife, Anne, work the store.

Anne Scohy, a registered nurse by day, anchors the counter, selling snacks and drinks. Stephen Scohy roams the floor making repairs, if needed, adding credits to maintain free play, engaging players and playing.

It’s a labor of love.

Another idea behind Flashback was to get the games out of the house. The Scohys did, setting up more than 70 of the machines in their Vienna location.

“My wife got the living room and the garage back. “She was SO patient with me,” he said.

However, Scohy also reveals he has about 40 additional machines still at home. Scohy was asked if he has an elusive great white whale of arcade games.

“My favorite machine is the next one,” he replied.

Scohy Bros’ Flashback Arcade is located at 405 28th St., Vienna. Flashback is also available for adult parties and private outings. For more information visit the Facebook page, call Flashback at 304-482-7170 or email them at sscohy@suddenlink.net.